To Ward Winter's Chill by elfscribe

Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

Twilight was folding the landscape into ambiguous shades of grey. Erestor listened to the wind’s hiss as it bent the grasses to its will, the sound punctuated by the horse’s blowing breath and the percussion of his long stride upon the turf. The chilled softness of the air signaled impending snow. Although the shortest day of the year had passed, they were traveling north where winter held sway for several months to come. Behind him, Erestor could feel Glorfindel's astonishing warmth as he held him close. Fin’s large cloak enveloped them both, leaving Erestor’s face and legs exposed to the air's nip.

One of Glorfindel’s hands guided the horse while the other arm encircled Erestor’s waist, making the Counselor feel both secure and somewhat controlled. He did not like this rather subservient position but he had disliked the idea of riding behind even more. Since there was only one horse, he hadn’t had many options. Accustomed to being the one in charge in most any situation and yet overwhelmed by his new-found affection for his friend, Erestor’s feelings jostled together in a uncertain fit.

And that was not all that was causing Erestor distress. Oiolairë's stride was sure and smooth, but every jounce and forward lunge served to remind Erestor of the activities of the night before and the malaise was becoming more pronounced as the hours fled. He shifted uncomfortably and the motion freed, for a moment, his lover’s grip about his waist.

“We are nearly there,” Glorfindel said in his ear. “We’ll make it before nightfall. Are you getting stiff?” His voice had the light timbre of a viol. Erestor wondered if he ever tired.

“Not stiff, so much as . . .” Erestor wriggled again. It was a strange dual sensation, one of discomfort, but at the same time the tenderness and heat focussed his attention in a way that was rather erotic.

Glorfindel chuckled. “A little sore, are we?”
“Sore. Yes, I’m sore!” Erestor said irritably. “And I know who to blame for it.”

“Who was it begged to have his arse set afire? And I distinctly remember those exact words.”

“Glorfindel, you should know that something like that, said in the heat of passion, should not be taken literally,” Erestor replied, rather primly.

Glorfindel laughed. “Is that so? I shouldn’t have taken you - literally?”

“Indeed,” Erestor scoffed. “You were most thorough in your interpretation. I am now suffering as a result. I hope that pleases you.” Again, he shifted.

“Everything about you pleases me,” Glorfindel said. “Most especially that charming arse of yours. I could compose an ode to its perfection of contour and color; its round firmness with its adorable dimples.” His hand left its position on Erestor’s waist, eased across his belly, slid around his hip to stroke a buttock. “Did you notice how perfectly we fit? More than perfect. I waited a long time for that. A long, long time.”

The rumbly purr of Glorfindel’s voice vibrated against Erestor’s ear, raising havoc with Erestor’s nether regions. Oh yes, there was nothing like the formidable Glorfindel pounding him into the beach. The memory of last night, the first time they’d admitted their affection to each other; the first time he’d been free to express it; well, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. The images, sounds, textures all came back to thrill him over again. He thought of the beauty of Fin’s body, the outline of his hair and his broad shoulders silvered by a glaze of moonlight; the peculiar, gasping moan of desire when first he had breached Erestor; the increasingly urgent rhythm as his loins thumped against Erestor’s rear and the backs of his thighs; and then the sight of Fin’s face: mouth dropping open, contorted as if in torment, then lightening to ecstasy. Oh, what a feeling of power to have Fin lose himself in his embrace. As Erestor relived the memories, heat fingered upward from his loins. There were times in his past when physical satiation with a new lover had ended the fascination. Not so with Findel. Having made love to him had only fed the fires. He realized he wanted this elf badly. Wanted all of him.

But Erestor had devoted his life to controlling his feelings and during the ride he’d had time to mull over the situation. Like fragile moths, the doubts had come nattering. So, they’d had one glorious night. What now? How could he possibly allow anyone at court to know, especially those who had listened so long to his recital of Findel’s faults, mostly relating to his promiscuous ways. Blessed Eru, what would the King say? Erestor did not relish the thought of the teasing he would have to endure. But that he could tolerate. There were greater worries. Did Glorfindel really care for him or was Erestor just another notch on the much-nicked headboard? Perhaps, Erestor thought, he should feign indifference, so that Findel did not know the depths of his affection? Caution and brinksmanship had ever been the Counselor’s bywords. He stirred again, settling back against that strong body. “Is my arse all that you wanted?” he muttered.

“All that I wanted and more,” Glorfindel said, mistaking Erestor’s meaning. “Fortunately for you,” he continued, “I have something to ease your trouble. Widgewyn gave me some numbing salve before we left.” Glorfindel licked the rim of Erestor’s ear, the warmth immediately growing cold in the wind. “I am looking forward to applying it.”

“Widgewyn gave it to you!” Erestor grumbled. “Why would she do that? You didn’t tell her about us, did you? I’ll never be able to show my face in that village again! How am I to direct building a lighthouse amidst a crowd of sly looks?”

“I didn’t have to say a thing. She saw us come dragging in this morning, sand in our hair, silly grins on our faces - you walking funny - don’t deny it. She’s a woman who knows a thing or two. When she gave us the supplies, she slipped the jar to me. ‘Glad I am to see you two getting on so well,’ she said. ‘Take this; you may find it welcome tonight.’ Such a thoughtful gesture, don’t you think?”

With sweet menace, Erestor said, “A thoughtful gesture, surely. But Findel, what makes you think you’ll have an opportunity to use it tonight?”

“I assure you the house will be most comfortable, much better than the beach last night. I plan to attend to your every need. Aches and all.” Glorfindel licked the edge of Erestor’s ear again, then suckled his earlobe, taking into his warm mouth one of the ruby studs Erestor wore. There was a click of metal against teeth. Erestor pulled away.

“I meant that I have suppressed such needs for hundreds of years now,” Erestor said, turning his head to look behind him. “A night like last one should be enough to last me for months. Surely, you didn’t expect a repetition?”

There was actually a pause, an intake of breath, then a stammer of sound from Findel. Erestor had caught the warrior off guard. He turned back quickly to hide a little smile.

“What? But I thought . . .” Glorfindel exclaimed.

“You thought what, that I would fall at your feet any time you wished?”

“You gave every impression last night of enjoying it as much as I did. Am I wrong in that assumption?” There was an edge of hurt in Glorfindel’s voice. He had dropped his arm from around Erestor’s waist.

“No indeed. Truthfully, it was marvelous. I can see why you have a reputation as a most ardent lover. The whispers at court hardly do the reality justice.”

“And yet you do not wish to repeat the experience?” Glorfindel asked. His hand, which had come back to rest upon Erestor’s thigh, began stroking in a small circle.

“I did not say that, maethor nîn. I simply said that you may have done your job so well that I am sated into the foreseeable future. You should not make assumptions about my appetites.”

“Ah,” Glorfindel said, “Well, my dear Counselor, so skilled in the game of words, you may have heard it said that an appetite long denied takes more than one gorging to be truly satisfied. And in fact, the hunger, once awakened by a taste of the dainty it craves,” he squeezed Erestor’s thigh, “returns more ferociously the next time.”

“Do you believe that you are so appetizing that I cannot control my hunger?” Erestor asked.

“Mandos! All Lindon knows about Erestor’s notorious self control,” Glorfindel snorted. “However, I did not know it was a contest. Or that you had a need to prove yourself any more in that regard. I thought we both enjoyed the feast in equal measure. Tell me then: last night, oh, about the third round of coupling when you were screaming for Mandos to deliver you - was that all an act?”

“No, it wasn’t,” Erestor admitted. “It was glorious. Well, except for the sand and er . . . the after effects.”

Glorfindel chuckled. “If you are truly sore, then I shall not trouble you in that manner tonight. There are other ways to enjoy each other.” He gently bit Erestor’s neck.

“I am fine, Findel,” Erestor said irritably. “Don’t think that last night was my first rough coupling. I recover quickly.”

“Then what is troubling you?” Glorfindel asked.

“What makes you think I am troubled?”

“I have known you, Counselor, for several hundred years. I am quite familiar with your moods. You are irascible when something bothers you.” Glorfindel paused. “Come to think of it, you are irascible under normal circumstances.” He chuckled. “You know quite well what I mean.”

“Irascible am I? If so, it will have been two hundred years of trading sallies with an exasperating miscreant that has done it,” Erestor said.

“I would have thought,” Glorfindel replied gently, “that last night would have altered the pattern - at least somewhat. Am I wrong?” Once again his breath husked against Erestor’s hair, reminding him of that same sound in his ear last night, of passionate groans and whispered endearments.

“Very well then,” Erestor relented. “You are correct; I am . . . concerned. In the hard light of day, I’ve been thinking, Findel, I am not sure that what we have done is wise.”

“Does wisdom usually prevail when love is concerned?” Glorfindel asked.

“Shouldn’t it?” Erestor said. (But his heart leapt upon hearing the word ‘love.’)

“Whether it should or not, it is my experience that it rarely does,” Findel said. “But let’s ponder this. What are we doing that is so unwise? We are neither of us attached. We have no entanglements that I can think of . . .”

“There are all your past entanglements, all those elves who have warmed your bed over the years and who still reside at court. What of them?”

“Are you jealous ‘Restor?”

“No.”

“Mmmm, I think you are. Well, I won’t apologize for my past. I enjoyed my dalliances and it was hardly my fault that you were unavailable. And last night I discovered the reason for it, that all the while I was longing for you, thinking you had pledged yourself to some ideal of sexual purity and virtue unattainable by the rest of us, you were in fact playing courtesan to Lord Ossë. And apparently satisfying his every desire. I saw him, in all his stunning beauty. A formidable rival. Indeed, beyond any in my experience. Tell me, did you enjoy his attentions, Erestor?”

“It wasn’t a matter of enjoyment, really,” Erestor said tightly.

“I want the truth, meleth. Did you enjoy it?” Glorfindel’s voice dropped into a growl. He squeezed his hand possessively about Erestor’s waist.

“Yes,” Erestor admitted.

“Well then, you see. I am the one who should be jealous. How can I rival a god?”

“There is a difference. He held me captive to my vow. I came to resent him.”

“Do you worry that I will hold you captive to a vow, Erestor? You needn’t fret, I will never chain you down in any way. I, too, value my freedom.”

“Good,” Erestor said, though the words did not feel certain as they left his lips. He thought that perhaps what he wanted were assurances of love, but he did not know in what form he wanted them. His relationship with Glorfindel was too new and raw, reforming itself after hundreds of years of bristling at one another like two feral dogs. But from the first, he now realized, there had been attraction. It had evolved into an unstated friendship that formed the foundation for what he was feeling now: a trembling of the heart, a feeling of unbalance, a desire so strong it threatened to overwhelm him. He said, “In any event, Findel, Lord Ossë is no longer in the picture, whereas many of your paramours are. In fact, I remember just before we left for Umbar, you had a very *touching* farewell scene first with Gildor and then later on a different staircase with Celemîr.”

“Erestor, can’t you just enjoy the moment?” Glorfindel’s voice had become as soothing as if he were quieting a frightened horse. “Enjoy this time that we have together right now. Savor the bite of the air, the rhythm of Oiolairë’s stride, the anticipation of a warm fire and a pleasant evening all alone together. You know it is a rare thing to have a quiet space in between duties and obligations. I have learned to make the most of those times and there is no one with whom I would rather spend a perfect night by the fire than you.”

That was close enough to what he wanted, Erestor thought. “Perhaps you are right,” he said. Erestor willed his muscles to relax, even though he realized that Findel had not really addressed his concerns about past lovers and in fact, had skirted the issue. Ah well, clearly it would be wise to let it drop, for now. He rolled his neck to relieve the kinks. “So, how much further is it then? The bite of the wind that you have praised has only served to roughen my cheeks and awaken my appetite.”

“There you are,” Glorfindel chuckled, “talking of appetites again.”

“And there you are, single-minded in your thinking.”

“How do you know what I had in mind?”

“Because I know you for an insatiable rogue and because it has been evident throughout our ride together during which you have been so strategically situated behind me,” Erestor returned.

“And has that been so very unpleasant?” Glorfindel asked quietly.

Erestor sighed. “No,” he said.

“Because for me,” Glorfindel said, “it has been wondrous to have you like this, in my arms. To feel your warmth, breathe in your smell.” He inhaled deeply in Erestor’s hair. “I’d like to have you against me like this, forever.” Erestor felt Fin’s lips moving downward to brush against his cheek. Heard his own breath catch as Glorfindel’s hand pressed gently against his belly, fingers flexing in the cloth of Erestor’s tunic. Findel’s hips rocked once against Erestor’s backside, ever so slightly. It stirred the embers in Erestor’s loins, set them to smouldering. “I confess I’ve been having less than virtuous thoughts.” Glorfindel’s voice had dropped in pitch.

“Such a rare thing for you,” Erestor retorted.

“Thoughts of all the ways in which I can enjoy you,” Findel continued, unperturbed. “You think it is difficult to ride with a sore rump, think about riding perpetually . . .um. . . hard.”

Erestor could feel the truth of his statement, nestled happily against his arse and nudging gently up and down with the horse’s stride. What marvelous equipment the elf possessed! He had a brief vision of both of them riding naked, of raising himself up, feeling Fin’s shaft nudging between his legs, before setting back down in one smooth, engulfing motion. A cloud of tingling fireflies danced upward from his nether regions. He shifted.

“You don’t fool me a moment, my dear,” Findel said. “I saw the real Erestor last night, unleashed and undone by sweet pleasure. A fiercely sensual creature. Anything else you try to pass off to others is a charade.”

“Is it? If I choose, I can remain unmoved by your proximity,” Erestor sniffed.

“That sounds remarkably like a challenge to me,” Findel said. His hand shifted, slid dangerously along Erestor’s abdomen, downwards. Touched him - there.

“Fin, what are you . . .?” Erestor began but his words ended in a sudden intake of breath and a little jump as Glorfindel’s large hand cupped him firmly through the fabric of his breeches.

“Unmoved are you? Here is evidence to the contrary,” Glorfindel purred. He began an up and down motion, gently squeezing as he went; then on the upstroke he added a small circular glide of his thumb over the head of Erestor’s rapidly unfurling shaft.

“Blessed Eru,” Erestor gasped. “That is unfair.”

“Who said I fight fair?” Glorfindel said. His stroking continued, slowly, agonizingly, up and down, up and down. Erestor was fully erect now and there was nothing he could do about it. Tingling shivers darted upwards, came back to rest in his groin, pooling in a glow that began to be tinged with the color of urgency. He could feel a slight dampness at his crotch, growing with each maddening stroke.

“Findel . . .”

“Last night I didn’t have a chance to worship you as I should have done,” Glorfindel said. “But I’ve been thinking about your cock, how beautiful it is, how delightfully firm and straight,” at this, he squeezed tightly the entire length of the glide up and back, causing Erestor to gasp, “about how I’d like to put my mouth on it, tease it with my tongue, lick it until the honey begins to well up and spill over the side. I want to dip up that nectar, smear it all over you until you are drenched with our combined juices.” Glorfindel licked the rim of Erestor’s ear, then sucked on it, rolling his tongue around the ruby stud.

“Nguh, Findel,” Erestor said, wriggling a little in a half-hearted attempt to get away. But gods, it felt good. Glorfindel responded by dropping the rein on Oiolairë’s neck and holding Erestor more tightly about the waist. Oiolairë lowered his head slightly and slowed. Glorfindel clicked his tongue at him, whereupon he resumed his fast forward walk. Fin began using both hands to unbutton Erestor’s breeches.

“Fin . . . Findel, what are you doing?” Erestor choked. “No, not here. . . ” Erestor grabbed Glorfindel’s hands, finding them amazingly strong. For a moment they struggled together. A brief burst of cold air hit Erestor as their motions opened up the cloak.

“Hold it closed, Erestor,” Glorfindel commanded. And before Erestor even bethought himself, he had followed orders, grabbing the edges of the cloak and drawing it tight about them. While Erestor was thus distracted, Glorfindel opened Erestor’s breeches, and with a deft motion, hauled his cock out of his pants. It was a relief to be free of the constriction, but now Erestor felt the chilled air on his delicate anatomy. Glorfindel pulled his hand out from under the cloak, spat on it unceremoniously, and the next thing Erestor knew, it was wrapped about him again, gliding wet, warm, enticing.

“Fin, not now!” Erestor cried, then he gasped again as Glorfindel quickened his movements, holding him lightly between thumb and forefingers.

“Why not? There is no one to see. No one to know,” Glorfindel chuckled. “Except perhaps Oiolairë and he swears he won’t tell.” He leaned forward, still steadily stroking. “Will you, Oiolairë?” The horse’s ears flicked back and then pricked forward again. Glorfindel laughed.

Now he was employing his palm in a most inventive manner. Erestor could hear the wet sound of his flesh being manipulated. His blood pounded in his ears. He saw clouds of spots amidst the vague shapes of the fen. “Oh gods,” he said.

“Why do you fight it? Relax, Erestor. Give in to the sensation,” Glorfindel was saying. “Doesn’t that feel good? Yes, I know that it does.” His other hand snaked up under Erestor’s tunic and worked its way to his chest. “I cannot keep my hands off of your beautiful body, ‘Restor,” he purred. “Do you know how much I longed to do this all these years, to touch you all over, feel you come undone under my hands? Now that I have you, I can’t get enough.” The rough fingers had found a nipple, taken it in a delicate pinch, then tightened, rolled it, released, pinched again, then back and forth between long fingers. That, combined with the continual stroking, the thumb swirling about, light pressure alternating with a rough touch, was making Erestor light-headed, awash in sensation: heat, a tingling that moved as if connected by a thread from his nipple down to his balls. He felt a preliminary spurt of fluid, could feel himself tightening. His release seemed as if it were hanging palpable in front of him, beckoning.

“Fin, please,” he moaned.

But Glorfindel slowed his strokes. Abruptly he switched his attentions to the other nipple. “I didn’t finish telling you what I want to do to you,” he explained patiently.

“Unnnhhhh, Findel,” Erestor pleaded.

“I want to suck on you, swallow you down whole, taste your honey on my tongue while I put a slick finger inside you, deep inside you, Erestor.” A whimper burst from Erestor’s throat. “Yes, just like that. I’ll stroke you from the inside. Stroke your center, while I’m pleasuring you with my mouth. Once I get you close, so close to release that your balls are shuddering, then I’ll pull off you and plunge my cock inside you, Erestor. Deep inside you. I’ll take your body for my own, and I won’t care if you’re sore, or you resist, because you know you don’t want to. You want this, you want to feel me take you, drive into you so hard and deep that we merge together, and we’re one, and there is no one to stop us, and we feel nothing but the rapture of our love.”

The pressure coiled up in Erestor’s loins, swelled, and then lashed upwards, releasing a pulsing wave of pleasure. “Unnnhhhhhh!!!” he cried out. “Mandos! Bloody pits of Angband!”

For a moment the world had gone white. Sensation coursed through him as Fin continued stroking, his rhythm slowing as he milked the last of Erestor’s essence from his body. His hand had suddenly become very slippery. Findel stopped the motion and held him gently while imaginary butterflies flitted about Erestor’s vision.

“Sweet fucking Eru,” Erestor swore.

“You liked that?”

“No, you bastard, not at all,” Erestor panted. Findel let him go and brought his hand up to his mouth. Erestor could hear him licking it like a cat. He smacked his tongue.

“Bittersweet,” Glorfindel said. “Just like you.” He wiped his hand on the cloak.

Erestor reached down and fumbled himself back into his pants. “Why did you do that?” he asked shakily.

“Would you rather I hadn’t?”

“No,” Erestor paused. “It was . . .” he shivered with an aftershock. “It was fine. . . well . . . yes, fine, good.” He felt Findel flex his hips behind him, felt the ever-present ridge nudging his arse.

“It seems you are in some difficulty. I should return the favor,” Erestor said. He reached behind, palmed the evidence of Findel’s unrest, and was impressed anew at its size. Another feeble twitch of sensation shot upwards from his spent organ.

“No, I can wait,” Glorfindel replied. “You’re not the only one who can control himself, you know.”

Erestor squeezed, felt the elf behind him shudder. He realized that the upcoming evening might be something out of an adolescent’s wet dream. Lovemaking was always more effective with practice. Last night had been merely a warm up. “You think you got the better of me just now?” Erestor said. “I’ll have you know, I never let that happen for long. You are in for a very demanding night.”

“Promises,” Fin said.

Erestor twisted his body around and reached up behind his head. He pulled Glorfindel’s face to his, and kissed him, hard and long on the mouth. At first he felt Fin tense in surprise, then he relaxed into the kiss; their tongues met, flailed. Erestor opened his mouth wider, devoured Glorfindel’s lips, then withdrew, taking Fin’s lower lip between his teeth and tugging, just hard enough to be painful. He could feel the elf’s breath quicken. “Yes, a promise,” Erestor said still holding onto his chin, “You obviously don’t know who you’re playing with.” Fin’s face was shadowed, barely visible in the rapidly fading light. But just as Erestor’s neck was protesting from the angle and he turned back around, he caught a flash of a melting grin.

He felt a chuckle behind him. “Play with me,” Fin said. “I look forward to it.”

“I’m going to eat you alive,” Erestor murmured.

“I’m counting on it,” Fin replied.

*********************
meleth - love
maethor nîn - my warrior

-tbc-

Chapter 2

The boys had a little too much fun in this chapter.  The pace (and plot) pick up in Chapters 3 & 4.

Read Chapter 2

Chapter 2
           
A cold kiss of moisture hit Erestor’s cheek.  He glanced up as another struck him.  The sky was fulfilling its promise of snow.  Big flakes drifted downward as if coming from a single point high above.  The light was almost gone, the shapes of the land unfamiliar, making him feel disoriented.  He leaned forward as their horse began climbing again. The animal stumbled for a moment and Glorfindel’s weight shifted hard onto Erestor’s back; his arm tightened protectively about his waist.  A cascade of small stones rattled down the slope.

When they reached the top of the promontory, Erestor was able to get a wider view.  To the left, the land dropped off a cliff.  Beyond was the wide, grey expanse of nothingness that he knew was the ocean. He could hear the distant roar of the surf.  On the right was a stretch of low scrubby brush disappearing into blackness.  They were following a narrow path along the foot of a cliff.  Soon there would be no light to guide them.  Erestor’s nervousness increased when he heard Glorfindel mutter, “We should have reached it by now.”
                               
He turned his head to look at the golden-haired elf seated behind him.  “Are you telling me you don’t know where we are?”               

“I know where we are.  Approximately.  I’ve just not approached from this direction before.”

“And so it could be leagues from here?”

“No, not leagues. Well, I suppose that’s possible.”

“That’s not what I want to hear, Findel.  It’s snowing and very shortly it will be dark.”

“Don’t worry.  I’ll just give Oiolairë his head.  I’m sure he’ll find his way.”

“How can he?  He’s never been here before either.”

“Horses have better senses than we do, Erestor.”

“Yes, I can imagine he could find a stream or a patch of grass, but how can he find a wayhouse?”
 
“It doesn’t matter.”

“It DOES matter,” Erestor said.
                                   
“If we have to camp, then we do.  No use fretting over it. Oiolairë is a big animal.  He’ll keep us warm.”

“He’s from Umbar,” Erestor said.  “I’m sure he doesn’t like the cold any more than I do.”

“When we were in Umbar, I well remember you cursing the heat and wishing to be back up north.  Which do you want, the heat or the cold? Make up your mind, ‘Restor.”  Glorfindel sounded unbearably smug and not the least bit concerned.

Erestor bit back the retort he’d been about to make.  Flurries of snow swirled about him now.  He could feel his temper flaring.  They continued on for a while, Oiolairë’s hooves making a curiously hollow thud in the gloom, then Glorfindel brought him to a halt.  Behind him, Erestor felt Fin’s body shifting as he turned this way and that. There was a long silence in which the only sound was the horse’s blowing breath.

“Mandos!” Glorfindel said softly.

“What’s wrong?”  

                      
“I have no idea where we are,” Glorfindel replied.  He actually sounded worried.  “I think we had better stop and make camp before we lose all the light.”

“Well, I’ll be a dead stinking orc,” Erestor stated flatly.  “I thought you knew where you were going.  You assured me you did.”

“No help for it now, ‘Restor,” Findel declared as he slid off Oiolairë.  “You can help by going to look for some wood.”

“We’re going to spend the night HERE, without any shelter?” Erestor spluttered.  In complete disgust, he swung a leg off the horse and landed on the ground.  Pins and needles shot up from his numb feet.  He nearly fell over and made a grab for Oiolairë’s withers.  Glorfindel put a hand out to steady him.  Erestor pushed him off, then began stomping.  “I can’t feel my toes, at all. I’m not letting you forget this,” he said.  The snow was coming down faster now.  There was a thin white cap of it on Glorfindel’s hair and some flakes dusted his eyelashes.  Erestor shivered.  Findel was wearing their only cloak.    
 
“Hurry up, Counselor,” Glorfindel said.  He pulled the rope rein over Oiolairë’s head and began leading him. “Try looking for some wood up there.”

“Where?  I don’t see any fallen trees. Can’t see much of anything, actually,” Erestor snapped.

“Up behind you. They usually have a store of dry wood in the lean-to at the side of the wayhouse.”

“At the side of the . . .!” Erestor turned his head and looked up at the cliff behind them.  There, perched about one hundred feet up, with what must be a stunning view of the ocean, was one of Gil-galad’s outposts.  The peaked slate roof was just visible in the grey twilight.   He turned back to glare at Glorfindel, who was sporting a wide grin. “You KNEW all the time where we were?” Erestor cried, relief and chagrin flooding him all at once.

Glorfindel laughed, a lovely bell-like sound. “Foxed you!” he said.

“By Mandos, you’re going to pay for that one,” Erestor growled, but he was too relieved to really feel angry.  “Later.  Let’s get out of the snow. How do we get up there?”

“There’s a path around back here.  Follow me.” Glorfindel led Oiolairë along the bottom of the cliff a ways, around a stone wall.  Behind it they found a narrow road winding back and forth up the slope.  Erestor trudged behind, still unable to feel his toes, but so grateful not to be spending a miserable night out in the open that it did not bother him.  The pathway ended with a gate.  Glorfindel reached around, slid back the bolt, and the gate creaked open.  They found themselves inside a large courtyard.  “The stable is at the back of the house,” Fin said.  “I’ll take care of Oiolairë.  You can go inside and get us set up.”  He slid the saddlebags off of the horse’s back and tossed them to Erestor.

“Fine,” Erestor said as he caught them.  He tried a door recessed under some arched stonework.  It was locked.  Erestor sighed and dumped the saddlebags.  They wouldn’t have hidden a key here anywhere, would they?  He felt around the lintel and eventually found an iron object, which he withdrew and held up to try to see which end was which.  But by now, all light had faded from the sky.  He was able to fumble the key to the hole and unlock it by feel.  The door swung open, releasing a dusty scent of stale air.  It appeared to have been some time since anyone had been here.  This was ridiculous; he couldn’t see a thing.  He opened the strap on the saddlebag and felt inside for the tinderbox.

“I’ve got it,” Glorfindel called from the opposite side of the courtyard.  Looking up, he saw Glorfindel coming towards him, carrying a small oil lamp that cast a yellow glow.  His cloak drifted softly about him as he walked.  With his hand, he shielded the flame from the steadily falling snow.

“Will this help?” Findel said once he reached him.

“Quite so,” Erestor said.  “Is there another one?”

“Inside,” Glorfindel said.  “I’ll show you.”  Shortly, they found another lamp and got it started.  Erestor raised it up to look around and found himself in a large hall with tapestries on the walls.  “This place is designed to hold a garrison if needed, but is mostly used by Ereinion’s messengers,” Glorfindel said.  “It’ll be more than adequate for our needs.  There is a kitchen at the end of the house with a large fireplace.  You can get a fire going.  I’ll finish tending to our horse.”  Then he was gone.  

Erestor hoisted the saddlebags over his shoulder and headed down the hall, leaving sodden footprints behind.   He discovered the kitchen with an assortment of hanging pots and pans, and herbs, and a sink with a pump that actually worked, once he’d pumped it several times and got the rusty water cleared out.  There was also a larder with some large, promising-looking ceramic jars and other supplies.  He descended a back stairwell and found a cellar.  Amazingly enough, there was a variety of wine kegs and bottles in racks.  He also found some clean rags with which he managed to dry off his hair and face. By the time Glorfindel returned, he had a fire going in the grate in the kitchen and a large kettle of water steaming.

Glorfindel stamped his feet and held his hands to the fire. “It looks positively cheery in here,” he said. “Well, Oiolairë is well-stabled.  Found a blanket for him and hay and water.”

“Good.  And I’ve got the ingredients for a decent stew together,” Erestor said.  “Found stored potatoes, and onions, dried tomatoes, some herbs.  We can add some of the dried cod Widgewyn gave us.  And look,” he exclaimed, brandishing a bottle of wine, “a very tasty white Enedwaithian wine to cook it in. After reading all those endless acquisition reports, I should have remembered that Ereinion likes to keep his soldiers happy when on patrol.”  He grinned at Glorfindel.

Glorfindel smiled widely back.  “I didn’t know you could cook, Erestor.”
“I’ve learned some things over the years.  I can do fairly well in a pinch,” Erestor replied. “Here, you’re soaked.  Why don’t you dry yourself off.”  He tossed Glorfindel a rag.

“I’m not a bad cook, over a campfire,” Findel said, as he toweled his head, “Learned while on campaigns and I’ve certainly seen enough of those in my time. I can help get our dinner going.  Then I want to show you something.”

Despite feeling cold and damp, Erestor found that preparing the meal with Glorfindel was very enjoyable.  They opened the bottle of wine to drink while they worked, and soon the day’s annoyances had faded and they were jesting with each other while they chopped vegetables.

“I’m not forgetting that little joke you pulled down below,” Erestor said, gesturing with the knife.  “You’d better watch your backside.”    

Glorfindel laughed. “My backside, eh? It was worth whatever punishment you inflict.  You should have seen the look on your face when you thought we were spending the night out in the snow.”
                                       
“It was not the best moment of my life, no,” Erestor chuckled.  “But I’ve lived through much worse things.  Like being trapped in the hold of the Hirilondë a few days ago.”  He paused, sobered for a moment.  “And worse, much worse even than that.”  He shook his head. “I suppose it is good to keep things in perspective.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard so much sanguinity from your lips, meleth.”

“Haven’t you? We’ve got shelter and food. What more is needed? I think, Fin, that perhaps we only know one side of each other.  It appears there’s more to be discovered.”

“Yes, indeed.  I look forward to discovering every part of you,” Glorfindel said.  He raised his cup of wine towards Erestor and took a sip, meeting Erestor’s gaze over the rim.  His blue eyes were laughing, full of sensual mischief. Promising.  Strands of hair had come loose from his braids and were hanging in damp ringlets about his face.  His cheeks were ruddy from the cold, the angles of his face prominent in the golden firelight. He tilted his head to look at Erestor and grinned. His lips curved with the smile, tantalizing. He was the most beautiful thing Erestor had ever seen.  It was no wonder he was so successful in the game of love.  Ah, but Erestor was no neophyte himself.  He smiled to himself, thinking that the golden-haired warrior was in for a few surprises this evening.

Erestor hung the pot of chowder from a hook to simmer over the fire.  Glorfindel reached into the heart of the blaze, grasped a large brand on its unlit end, and held it aloft as a torch.  “That will take a while to cook,” he said.  “In the meantime, I want to show you something.”

“What?” Erestor asked suspiciously.

“Oh, just come,” Glorfindel said. “Bring the lamp.” He strode out of the kitchen, through the parlor, and into the great hall, then turned to see that Erestor followed.  The shadows ran away from the torchlight, flinging themselves up the walls, hiding in the dim corners.  At the end of the hall, Erestor could see a small but ornate staircase.  It disappeared around a bend.  Glorfindel was going up, taking two steps at a time.  Cautiously, Erestor followed, shielding his small lamp with one hand as he climbed upwards in a dizzying spiral.  Their footsteps sounded loud in the echoing stairwell. He reached the top landing and could see Fin’s torch going along ahead of him.  They were in a hallway, passing several doors. Hanging in one arched doorway, Erestor noticed a ragged spider web.  Someone needed to dust around here. Glorfindel reached the last door and pushed it open with a loud squeak.  “This is the Captain’s room,” he explained.  “This is where we’ll spend the night.”

Erestor entered a well-furnished room with a large fireplace on one end.  There were beautifully woven tapestries on the wall, soft rugs on the stone floor, several large leather chairs and a couch by the fireplace with a low table in front of it. At the far end, beyond the fireplace was a large window, shuttered against the cold.  At the other end of the room there was a bed with hanging curtains drawn off to the side.  The mattress was bare; they’d need to find blankets.  But there were promising cedar chests and wardrobes along the wall.  Even more promising was the large stack of wood by the fireplace.  It didn’t look as if it had been used in a while.  There was a  cobweb at one corner of it.

“Very nice,” Erestor said.  “We could hole up in here for a week.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Glorfindel said. “But it’ll do for tonight, don’t you think?  Here, hold this.”  He handed Erestor the torch; then began building a fire using pine needles and twigs for kindling. Erestor shivered in his damp tunic.  “I don’t suppose they store any dry clothes here?” he asked.  He set his lamp down on a table.

“Take a look,” Fin said.  “Here, give me that.”

Erestor handed him back the torch, which he thrust into the midst of the pyramid log structure he’d built.  The pine needles began to crackle; Glorfindel gently blew on them.  His fair face was suddenly lit by the red glow.

Erestor went to a wardrobe and opened it.  Nothing.  He had better luck with the next one where he found some tunics, breeches, and long robes hanging.  He fingered one of the robes, a beautiful garnet color, good velvet, a little moth-eaten on one sleeve, but no matter. There was another one, dark blue with gold cord outlining the shoulders and keyhole neckline.  They were perfect.  He pulled the dark blue one out, shook it to release the dust, and held it out towards Glorfindel.  “Here, this should fit.”

Glorfindel turned his head away from the fire which was sputtering into life.   He looked amused. “I think you just want an excuse to get my clothes off.”

“Do you think it will work?” Erestor asked with a smile.
 
“Quite possibly.”  Erestor tossed Glorfindel the robe, which he caught and laid over the back of the couch.  He unfastened the broach on his cloak, set it aside, then pulled off his shirt and tunic.  The bare skin of his chest gleamed ruddy in the firelight. Leaning on the couch with one hand, he began pulling on the heel of one of his boots.  “The cursed salt water shrank these things,” he laughed as he tugged.  “They hurt like hell to walk in.”

Erestor had already removed his rough linen tunic and cotton shirt given to him by the villagers who had sheltered them after the shipwreck.  He put them in the wardrobe.  Glorfindel stopped tugging for a moment and looked up at him standing there, bare-chested.  “Thoroughly lickable,” he said.

“Do you want some help with that boot, or not?” Erestor asked.

Glorfindel nodded.  Erestor came over and grabbed hold of his heel.  Glorfindel leaned back against the couch while Erestor pulled.  The boot finally came loose and slid off, then Fin put up his foot with the other one.   This one proved more recalcitrant.  Erestor tugged and grunted and Fin ended up hooking one arm over the back of the couch to brace himself.  Suddenly, with a slight sucking pop, the boot came loose and Erestor shot backwards, landing with a bounce on the end of the bed.  “Warg’s teeth,” he declared.

“Are you all right?” Glorfindel asked, trying to cover a smile.   He came over to stand next to the bed, looking down at Erestor.

“Yes, yes,” Erestor said laughing.  “Mandos, how did you walk in these things?”  He sniffed the boot, made a face, then tossed it across the room.

“Painfully. Are you implying my feet smell?”

“Implying nothing, statement of fact,” Erestor replied.

“And yours don’t?”

“Not a bit,” Erestor sniffed.

“Let’s find out, shall we?”  Fin declared as he leapt on the bed, grabbed one of Erestor’s soft skin shoes and attempted to pry it off.

“You’ll rip it, curse you,” Erestor laughed.

Fin got one shoe off, then the other.  He brought Erestor’s foot up to his nose.  “Yep, needs a wash,” he declared.  He licked one long swipe along the arch. Erestor burst into laughter and jerked his foot away.

“Oh, ticklish!” Glorfindel cried with the joy of new discovery.  He seized Erestor’s foot and began tickling harder.

"No, no!” Erestor cried, trying to get away.  Still laughing, he squirmed, and managed to kick Fin in the chest so that he let go.

“Ow! It appears that Gil-galad’s fearsome Chief Counselor has a tender spot,” Fin crowed. “Let’s see where else he has thin skin!”  He threw himself on top of Erestor and began tickling him madly about his waist, under his arms.

“Ai, stop, you hound,” Erestor laughed, wriggled, flailed.  His hand closed on a pillow and he pulled it forward abruptly, whacking Fin in the head with it.

“So it’s war, is it then?” Glorfindel cried with youthful abandon.  He grabbed another pillow and slugged Erestor hard with it across the chest.  In retaliation, Erestor grabbed one corner of his pillow and rapped him across the buttocks.

“That’s for telling me we were spending the night in the snow,” Erestor cried.  He slugged Fin harder. “And that’s for the tickling.”

Glorfindel was laughing. Erestor began laughing too, with a joyful feeling of lightness. He realized that he was having fun in a way he hadn’t in years.  He managed to wiggle out from under Fin and then the battle began in earnest.

“Attack!” Glorfindel yelled as he leapt off the bed and brought a pillow down hard on Erestor’s back.  Erestor slid off the bed and ran after him.  They fought back and forth around the room, leaping onto the couch, smacking the pillows hard against each other, wielding them like clubs overhead and becoming increasingly wild with their blows. They were both laughing so hard now that their hits were less than effective. Erestor managed to maneuver Glorfindel backwards and then to knock him over onto the bed.  He leapt on top of him, straddled his waist, and whacked him hard in the face.

“Ooh, sonovawarg,” Fin cried.  Turning his head to the side, he held up his pillow like a shield while Erestor redoubled his blows in short bursts. Suddenly Erestor’s pillow burst a seam just as it hit Fin in the head.  It was like an explosion. Feathers flew everywhere, greatly resembling the flurries outside.  When the avalanche cleared, there was Fin under him, with his eyes tightly shut - an amused grimace on his face. He spat a feather.  More drifted down. “Yuck,” he said, spitting another one.  He opened his eyes with a sudden glint of mischievous blue. “You’ve been disarmed. You lose!”

“No, clearly you are the one who has been vanquished,” Erestor laughed. “You look like a goose after it’s been plucked.” He swept feathers off Fin’s bare chest, then leaned forward and blew more of them away.  That beautiful strong chest was too much to resist.  He kissed Fin’s nipples, one after the other.

Glorfindel’s lips quirked. “Once I’m plucked, do you plan to eat me?” he asked. “Because I’d  like that. Truly.”

Erestor rocked in Glorfindel’s lap, feeling Fin’s pliable organ beneath him beginning to twitch in interest. Erestor said, “Unusual, a goose who wants to be eaten. Yes, I plan to eat you, dressed with a sharp sauce. Which end of you is tastiest, do you think?”

Glorfindel closed his eyes blissfully for a moment as if in deep thought. “Both ends have points in their favor,” he said. “So, I think . . .  oof!”

Erestor had settled against his chest. He seized Fin’s wrists, holding them above his head.  Then he lowered himself until his lips were just brushing Glorfindel’s.  “You remember I promised to eat you alive,” he said. “I think I’ll start with Balrog Slayer lips for appetizer.”  His mouth brushed Fin’s again.  Such a compliant mouth.  Glorfindel raised his head slightly, tried to deepen the kiss.  “Uh, uh,” Erestor clicked his tongue, pulling away a fraction.  “So eager, my goose. Such a wanton.”  Gently, he bit Glorfindel’s chin and felt him relax a little; his body settled into the bed.

“Eat me, down to the bone,” Fin said.

“What a charming request.”  Erestor sank his mouth down onto Fin’s; their tongues tumbled together; he tasted wine and Glorfindel’s own unique flavor.  Oh yes, thoroughly appetizing, everything about him: his cinnamon smell made bold from their exertion, the feel of his hard body that just now was molding so comfortably against his. Erestor felt his lover’s compliance and it excited him.  He shifted his hips again, rubbing against Fin. They were separated by the fabric of their breeches as both of them rose beautifully, one against the other.  Fin shifted his legs farther apart and Erestor settled down more firmly.  The kiss deepened, became searching, yearning.  Fin moaned and Erestor began to see in red tones.  He devoured Fin’s mouth at the same time that he rubbed his cock more firmly against him.  Heard a tight inhalation.

“Erestor,” Fin sighed.

Erestor felt the hot tingle spreading outward as they ground together. He wanted to hear Fin moan again so he dropped his mouth to Fin’s neck and bit, then moved down to his chest - that beautiful, beautiful chest, with muscles that undulated like a washboard under his fingers, defined in ruddy light and shadow.  He ran his tongue down the indentation between his pectorals, then up over one flat-topped mound to nuzzle a tender brown nub of flesh. He licked it back and forth until it grew deliciously taut under his tongue. Then he gathered it into his mouth and sucked.

“Nngah,” Fin gasped.  

That was better than a moan. Erestor smiled around his prize.  He slid his hand down over the muscles of Fin’s stomach, palmed his cock through the suede breeches, eliciting another satisfying gasp, then ran his finger around the outline all the way down to the sacs underneath, cupping and squeezing them.  Glorfindel’s breath was coming faster now.  He thrust his hips gently towards Erestor.  “More. Do more of that,” he panted.   

Moving downward, Erestor kissed that long, hard outline, then nibbled on it a little.  And managed to get a feather in his mouth.  He sat up suddenly, spitting.  “Blech.” And looked around.  “What a mess,” he said.  “This is most unfitting behavior.”

“By the gods, you’re not going to stop now?” Findel groaned.

“Mandos!” Erestor exclaimed, leaping up. “We’re forgetting about our dinner and I am much too hungry to allow it to burn.”  He slid a hand up the inside of Fin’s thigh and gently squeezed.  “Even though this is very enticing.”  He leaned over and kissed Fin slowly, deliberately.  “We have all night for this,” he said.

“Is this your revenge for my little joke earlier?” Glorfindel asked.

Erestor was pulling off his breeches.  He slowly stood, completely naked, and gave Fin a smouldering look.  “Oh no, you’re in for much worse,” he said.

“You are so beautiful,” Glorfindel said, leaning back on his elbows and looking him over.

“Get over it. Dinner is burning,” Erestor replied.  He shook feathers off the crimson robe, then pulled it over his head, slipped on his shoes, and picked up the lamp where he’d left it on the table. “I’ll go tend to supper,” he said, “YOU can clean up this mess. Then come down to help me carry the food up. And remind me when we get back to Lindon to add a pillow to the requisition list for this outpost - unless of course, you are handy with a needle.”

Glorfindel flopped his head back onto the bed and groaned, “I just HAD to fall for an elf who maintained a vow of celibacy for five hundred years.”  

When Erestor reached the kitchen, he found the cod chowder simmering nicely, if a little too thick. He added more water and wine, stirred and tasted it, added some salt and pronounced it done.  In a cupboard, he found wooden bowls, knives, spoons, and in the pantry, some honey-biscuits which were hard but sweet, nuts, and whole dried apples.  He appropriated another bottle of wine and added a bottle of blackberry brandy to the lot.  He also found a small bottle of oil which he thought might come in handy.  He was looking around when his eye fell on the cotton rags he’d used as a towel. Yes, definitely those.

He had all of it loaded on some wooden trays when Glorfindel appeared, resplendent in his blue velvet robe.   He had undone his braids and his hair was flowing loose about his shoulders like ripples in a fast-moving current.  Erestor couldn’t resist tangling his fingers in it and drawing him in for a kiss.  Erestor took Fin into his arms, felt his body against his, warm and hard through the thin layers of cloth.  The time spent on the kiss stretched, deepened.  

“You teased me so badly that I had to take the edge off myself,” Glorfindel laughed against Erestor’s lips.

“Wicked elf,” Erestor said as he gave Fin’s backside a light spank.  “Now, you won’t want any more.”    

Glorfindel laughed.  “On the contrary, it was merely an appetizer. Now, I desire the main course.”  His mouth sank onto Erestor’s. He pressed him back against the counter, their hips flexed together.  Then Erestor’s stomach growled.  Glorfindel broke away with a laugh. “Clearly someone is hungry. Come upstairs,” he said.

They gathered all the dinner together, plus a small caldron of warm water, and carried the lot up to the room.  The fire was burning merrily now.  Fin had cleared up the feathers and made the bed with linen sheets and a heavy quilt.  They set the food on the low table next to the couch. Erestor ladled the chowder into the bowls and they  fell to eating as rapidly as they could while still maintaining some decorum.  Erestor hadn’t realized just how hungry he was.  He sat on the leather chair, slipped off his shoes, curled his feet up under him, and ate ravenously.  Strangely, he felt like a youngster in anticipation of a sleigh ride.  He wondered who that elf was who had broken a pillow over Fin’s head; certainly it was someone who had not been allowed to kick his heels for some time now. He liked that buried part of himself.

“Not bad,” Glorfindel said of the chowder, after he had cleaned out his bowl and filled it up again.

“It could use some milk and butter,” Erestor said.  “But I’m not complaining. It tastes wonderful.”

“Amazing how a little hunger sharpens the appreciation, isn’t it?”  Fin said.

“Yes.  It’s strange.  If events had happened as planned, by now we’d be back at the palace, delivering the horse and our grim report to Ereinion and we’d be feasting on Mettarë leftovers.  The last several days have been like a strange dream. I feel adrift, as if I’m still floating in on the waves - like so much flotsam.”

“Are you sorry that it happened this way?”  Fin asked. He was leaning back against one arm of the couch with his long legs sprawled out in front of him.  The robe had ridden up to his knees. His calves were lean hard muscle, with a slight groove etched in the backs where, often as not, greaves were strapped. His feet were bare. Erestor’s eyes lingered a moment before turning away.

“I deeply regret the loss of the ship and possibly Captain Armalak,” Erestor said. “But if things had gone as planned, I’d still be bound to Lord Ossë and we’d still be carping at each other as we passed on the stairs.  So there have been positive aspects. So much of life is like that, isn’t it?  A trade-off.”  He took up a knife and began peeling one of the apples, the skin coming off  in a long spiral.  Absently, Glorfindel reached for his wine cup on the table.

Suddenly Erestor startled.  There on the floor, inches away from Fin’s foot, was a spider as big as his splayed hand -  a kind he knew to be very venomous. “Fin,” he said tightly.  “Don’t move.”

Glorfindel went rigid, “What?” he mouthed.

“Iell Ungoliant,” Erestor hissed. With a lightning fast flick of the wrist, he threw his knife hard.  It hit the floor with a loud thwack, impaling the spider through its hairy abdomen.  It shrieked, its legs churned, and then it went still.  A pale green ichor oozed from it.

Erestor exhaled in a loud sigh.  Carefully, Fin sat up and moved his feet up onto the couch.  He leaned over and eyed the spider. “Damn good throw,” he said.

“Good thing for you,” Erestor replied.  He rose from his chair, jerked his knife out of the creature, then used it to scoop the spider’s remains into one of the soup bowls.  With a flip of his hand, he tossed it out of the bowl into the fire.  A flame leapt up as it was consumed into charcoal.  “It must have come out of the wood pile,” Erestor said as he sat back down.  “If that had bitten you . . .” he let the words trail off. “I loathe them. Spawn of Ungoliant. Creatures of the dark places.”

“You have my thanks,” Glorfindel said, “and remind me never to cross you when you’ve a knife in your hand. Too often have I seen the accuracy of your aim.”

Erestor chuckled.  “I guess all those years of playing sigil paid off, eh?”

“Remind me never to play sigil with you, either. You are formidable, Counselor.  Tell me, what are you doing behind piles of ledgers and reports when you should be training warriors with me?”

“I have been a warrior in my time and have seen enough death,”  Erestor said quietly. “No, I’ll leave all that in your capable hands.”

“Perhaps you would be surprised to learn that I do not like it either, Erestor.  I do what is necessary.”

“Necessary yes, perhaps even more so with what we learned from Prince Du-phersa in Umbar.  I cannot bear it Findel. We fight and vanquish Darkness and then think we have achieved something, some measure of peace for the world.  Then, just like that spider, when you least expect it, it rears its ugly head again, in some new form.”

“Then, may you always be there with your sharp reflexes and quick wits,” Glorfindel said. “Come, for at least this time, let us put aside the sorrows of Arda.  They will be waiting for us tomorrow. For tonight, I want only the joy I feel in your arms.”

His words awakened the yearning that Erestor had felt all day.  He nodded, then rose, and took the two steps across the floor to stand beside him.  Glorfindel watched him coming with an almost greedy expression.  “Did you have enough to eat?” Erestor asked as he piled their bowls onto the tray.

“Plenty.”

“Are you sated?”
“No,” Fin breathed. “Come and sate me.”   He reached up, took Erestor’s hand and gently pulled him down.  Erestor settled next to him, as best he could as the couch was not wide. For a long moment, they stared at each other.  Glorfindel’s face was alight with a soft glow. “I want you to take down your hair,” he said.

Erestor reached up behind his head, undid the leather thong tying the two side braids together.  Then, with Glorfindel watching raptly, he ran his fingers through the braids, loosening them, and  pulled the thick dark hair, still kinked from the plaits, forward over his shoulders.  Glorfindel picked up a handful, ran it between his fingers. “Beautiful, yes, just like a raven’s wing. You have no idea  how beautiful you are, do you Erestor?”
                                            
“I have some idea,” Erestor said with a tilt to his chin.

“No, you don’t. None at all.  If you did, there’d be no living with you.” Fin’s fingers were luxuriating in the black waterfall. “I’ve watched you going about your work at the palace - your hair tightly braided and pulled away from your face, stern, haughty, all business. You wear your tunics high on the neck and long-sleeved, no matter the weather, but always well-cut and perhaps a little too tight. Is that a contradiction, Counselor?  A concession to some vanity? But I’ve watched you, and I know you do not see how others turn to look at you after you go by.  You do not see the hunger on their faces.  If only they could see you now: your hair loose, those twilight eyes .  . . so fair.”

He traced the edges of Erestor’s mouth with his finger. “Your lips belie the facade you cultivate.  They move with your moods: sometimes annoyed, sometimes even a bit cruel, occasionally laughing, always sensual.  Once, I watched them embrace a strawberry at a banquet, and I nearly came undone on the spot.  Your lips are pure sin, meleth. Anyone who looks at them imagines, imagines what it would be like . . .”

“You don’t have to imagine,” Erestor said as he leaned down and grazed Fin’s lips with his own, a gentle touch. Glorfindel sighed and opened his mouth.  Another kiss, a little deeper. His lips were so agile, made to kiss. Erestor gathered Fin’s lips to his and released them, over and over.  “You are a flatterer,” Erestor said in a deep purr into Glorfindel’s mouth. “Experience has taught me not to heed such words.”

“I only speak the truth.  I have watched you for a long time now,” Fin said, pulling back to look at him and stroking his thumbs over Erestor’s cheekbones.

He was one to talk of beauty, Erestor thought. He who was beauty incarnate.  His eyes were a rich velvety blue, the pupils large and dark.  He looked hungry, like an elfling eyeing an apple tart.  His hair was hanging in curling strands about his face. Unkempt. Erestor pushed it back away from his brow and Fin caught his hand and kissed the palm. Fin’s robe had partially slid off one strong shoulder.  Erestor put his hand gently around Fin’s neck, rested it there a moment, and then stroked downwards onto that shoulder, cupped his hand around it, feeling its hardness under his palm.  If only he could be rid of the doubts.
                               
“Do you use that honeyed tongue to beguile all your lovers?” Erestor asked.

“I did not bring my other lovers into this room,” Glorfindel said gruffly.  He turned his head to look away.  “Nor do I wish to do so.”

“You are right. My apologies,” Erestor said. That had been a slip, a tactical error.

“You could make it up to me.” Glorfindel looked up at him hopefully. “I’ve been very patient, don’t you think?  But I’ve been hard a good part of the day and I do not know how much more of it I can take.”

Erestor turned to look, ran his hand down the velvet robe until he reached the bulge of Glorfindel’s cock, which was now at half-mast. “Not quite so hard at the moment,” he said. “But I imagine that can be amended soon enough.” He began caressing it gently, varying his strokes.  It rose rapidly under his touch.  Glorfindel was purring now like a great cat.  

“He likes you,” Glorfindel said. “See?”

Erestor grasped the bottom of Glorfindel’s robe and slowly began gathering up the fabric into his hands until, with a flourish as if revealing the main dish at a banquet, he uncovered Fin’s prodigious assets. The sight made his mouth water.  Erestor ran a finger up along the inside of a tender thigh, traced lightly over the tightening balls. Fin started, just a little. Erestor curled his hand around that impressive length that even now had not reached its full status. “Magnificent,” Erestor murmured and tightened his grip as he stroked upward milking a bead of moisture from the dusky head.  Erestor took it on the ball of his finger and touched it to his tongue.  Fin was watching every movement.  Erestor began sucking on the fingertip, at first gently and then with increasing fervor.  With a little moan,  he plunged the entire finger into his mouth, let it linger there.  Glorfindel closed his eyes briefly. “Dessert,” Erestor said.  “Like honey from Belfalas.  Here,” he tapped Fin’s knee, “move your leg a little.”           

Glorfindel bent one leg at the knee and splayed the other to the side while Erestor lay on his stomach between them. He bit the inside of Fin’s knee, then moved upward until he was nuzzling his crotch.  The soft, blond curls tickled Erestor’s nose; he breathed in a musky scent.  So alluring. He ran his tongue up the entire length of that beautiful thick shaft, swirled it around the tip, tasting him. He could feel Fin holding his breath in anticipation. Oh, he was going to make him beg for release before the night was out.  Then Erestor plunged his mouth down over Fin’s cock, took it as far back into his throat as he could and began working it up and down.

“Uhhhh, gods, yes,” Fin gasped.

Erestor knew he was skilled in this area; not so long ago he had used it to bring Lord Ossë to his knees. And he loved doing it. He employed all his cunning now, sucking hard, vibrating his tongue as wickedly as he knew how, coming all the way up and then sinking back down again, using his hand on the lower part of Fin’s shaft when he was working at the head.  He could feel Fin coming undone beneath him, his legs quivering, his breath hissing inwards as Erestor used his teeth gently up and down.
           
“Yes, just like that. Mandos, that’s good,” Glorfindel murmured. With both hands he began caressing Erestor’s head, fondling the tips of his ears.

Erestor pulled off and looked up into Fin’s lust-hazed eyes.  “You know, I’ve been thinking,” he said conversationally.  He continued lightly stroking Fin’s shaft between thumb and forefinger.
    
“Oh gods, NOW what? You are killing me, you know that!”  
 
“I am thinking of what you said earlier today when you decided I needed a five-fingered tosser.”
 
“Mmm, yes, ” Fin chuckled.

“And all those scandalous things you said you’d like to do to me? Well, in my experience, often what an elf says he’d like to do to someone else is actually what he’d like done to him.”  Erestor held up his forefinger, then wet it in his mouth. “Wouldn’t you agree?”   
 
Glorfindel sat up a little straighter. “I’m usually not on the receiving end,” he said warily.

“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard. What I want to know is, why not?”  Erestor’s voice was soft and purring. He stood up, drew his robe over his head in a long glide, and tossed it over the back of the couch. Reaching down, he grasped himself, running his thumb over the head of his now substantial erection.

Glorfindel bit his lower lip. “Gods, Erestor.”

“Have you never been taken before, Fin?”

“Of course I have,” Glorfindel scoffed.  “It’s just . . .”

“It’s just that usually you are dominant.  It’s your nature to bend others to your will,” Erestor said.  He moved closer to where Glorfindel reclined on the couch and took Fin’s head in his hands.  His cock brushed against the warrior’s mouth sending a sizzle through his loins.  “There are roles we play in bed that suit our personalities. You are ascendant, bright and powerful as Anor.  I like to succumb to that power, allow it to fill and overwhelm me as it did last night, as you did to me today on Oiolairë’s back.  I allow it because I like it, Fin.”            

“So it seemed.  It felt natural that way. I didn’t even think about it,” Glorfindel said.

“What you do not know about me is that mastery is a game I play equally well, in the same way that I like to master someone in a game of sigil.”  Erestor slid his hand down his cock, held it at the base and smacked it lightly against Fin’s lips.
                           
“Is that so?” Glorfindel said.

“Earlier you said you wanted to learn more about me, about my nature,” Erestor said.  “I too can be dominant and I will know your heart once I'm done. Tell me, my friend, do you desire that?"

"At this point, I will do anything to get you in bed," Glorfindel’s breath sighed against Erestor's flesh. “But I’ll have you know, it is a rare elf that can put me on my back and I do not surrender easily.”
                               
"There would be no challenge if you did,” Erestor said smoothly.

“If you talk any more, I shall die,” Glorfindel returned.

******************
Iell Ungoliant - daughter of Ungoliant
-tbc-

Chapter 3

Read Chapter 3

“Take it, then,” Erestor said.  

Glorfindel looked up at him, a glint of humor in his eye.  He leaned over and ran his tongue up the inside of Erestor’s thigh. Tickling.  Stalling.

“Now,” Erestor growled.  

With a lunge, Fin captured Erestor’s cock in his mouth. The sudden wet heat drew a spasm of pleasure from Erestor's loins. Fin grasped Erestor's rear in both hands, bringing him close, then pushing and pulling on his hips as he worked him. Fin's tongue was a miracle, teasing out intense sensation.  He quickened the motion, sucking with long hard jerks. No, it was too much, too quick, and much too controlling.  Erestor leaned forward. “Easy now or you’ll have me finished before I get a chance at you.”   

Fin laughed and slid a finger suggestively down Erestor’s cleft. “Even spent, you could still accommodate me,” he said.
“The question is who will accommodate whom,” Erestor replied.  He grasped the tips of Fin’s ears, rolling them between his fingers.   Fin’s eyelids fluttered closed and he sighed in approval.  The draws on Erestor’s cock became slower but more pronounced.  Fin’s blue velvet robe had slipped off one shoulder. His blond hair was everywhere making him look more like a courtesan than a warrior.  Erestor cradled the back of Fin’s head, helping the push-pull motion ever so slightly.     

“Mmm,” Fin hummed, quite effectively.

Erestor shuddered in delight. But no, he couldn’t allow this to go on much longer or he would be quite undone.  There was still much to experience and a golden warrior to bring to heel.  When Fin paused to take a breath, Erestor pulled away from him and was gratified to see his mouth open like a babe's as if he couldn’t get enough.  Slowly Erestor sank down to straddle Fin’s lap.  The couch.  This wasn’t comfortable at all.  Why was he still thinking, plotting?  Glorfindel’s lips were wet.  Erestor brushed across them with a thumb.  They needed to be bruised, swollen, and it would be him that had made them so.  The thought was like a fire rising in his belly - a drumming in his ears, a desire to consume the elf completely.  

He pulled Fin into a devouring kiss, opening his mouth wide, tasting the silken interior, the slightly rougher velvet of his tongue, the marble of his teeth.  Wine and cinnamon tinged with blood. “You set me afire,” Erestor murmured. He laced his fingers through Fin’s hair at the back of his head and pulled, just hard enough to hurt.
            
“Uhhh,” Glorfindel cried, a desperate sound that rose in pitch as he launched himself forward, knocking Erestor back onto the couch, and landing on top of him.  His mouth was everywhere, coursing over Erestor's chest, his neck, his face; hands gripped Erestor’s arms holding him fast; loins rocked frantically together. Fin gasped, “Your taste is in my mouth. It’s making me mad. I want more, more of you.”    

“How badly do you want it?” Erestor asked as he rubbed himself against Fin’s slick shaft.

“Gods, don’t deny me any more. I cannot bear it. I want to fuck you, Erestor. I NEED to fuck you,” Glorfindel moaned.  He reached down and grasped his cock, attempted to push in, breathing heavily all the while.  

“Not this time,” Erestor said firmly.  He suddenly rolled and they were off the couch, landing with a painful thump onto the floor. Then, with another roll, they were on a carpet near the table.  Now Erestor was on top of Fin, straddling his waist, grinding his hardened shaft against softer bollocks. Simultaneously, both elves were seeking entry, which was achieving more comedy than eroticism. In desperation, Fin kicked out and hit the low table.  There was a disconcerting sound of glass breaking.  Madness seemed to be taking them both. Glorfindel grasped Erestor’s upper arms and pulled sideways, attempting to wrestle him down to the ground.  “I must have you,” he gasped.  “I must.”

Erestor’s shoulder came down hard on the floor, causing a brief flair of pain.  Fin was stronger, but he had lost his mind with lust, leaving Erestor in control. “I yield,” Erestor panted, “Stop, just a moment.  Here, let me help you remove this stupid robe. Raise your arms.”
                    
Glorfindel did so.  Erestor climbed back on top and slowly tugged the robe upwards until Fin’s head was free but the robe was still about his arms.  Suddenly, Erestor twisted the cloth around and around tightly, several times, until Fin’s arms were secured. “Warg’s teeth,” Glorfindel swore and violently wrenched away.  Erestor had to throw his weight onto him to hold him down.  He cast his glance about and saw the knife resting on one of the trays on the table.  He seized it.  Fin’s eyes grew wide.  “‘Restor!” he protested.  But Erestor moved upward, putting a knee on his chest, holding down his bound arms over his head with one hand, and driving the knife through the knotted cloth with the other, effectively pinning Fin’s arms to the floor.  

“Bloody Mandos. . . ?”  Fin exclaimed in surprise.

“You have relaxed your guard, O Royal Master of Arms, and now you’ll have to pay the price,” Erestor said.  Keeping his eyes on his intended, he reached to the table, flailing about with his hand, hearing items rolling away onto the floor, until he clasped the bottle of olive oil. Uncorking it with his teeth, he hastily distributed a handful to pertinent areas.  Meanwhile, Glorfindel struggled until Erestor dropped down and took his cock in his mouth. There was a loud gasp as Fin lifted his hips clear off the floor, with a resulting thrust down Erestor’s throat that nearly gagged him. Erestor pulled away and teased him with his tongue while one hand pushed down on his shoulder and the other cupped his tightened balls, massaging relentlessly.  

“Yes, oh yes, that’s it,” Fin cried, thrusting his hips hard.  Erestor wet a finger, and without ceremony, plunged it deep within Fin’s body. Glorfindel cried out in strangled tones. “Ai! Curse you!” Fin spluttered.  He threw his head side to side. “Release me, ‘Restor. No more teasing!”

There was a pause and Erestor sat up, his penis jutting up proudly.  He leaned forward, rubbing himself tauntingly against Fin’s cock as he grasped Fin’s knees, pushing them further apart. He surveyed the warrior laid out before him: fierce blue eyes looking at him in both challenge and mute appeal, his muscular chest heaving, that thin line of blond hair dampened in the hollow of his armpits, his cock straining against his belly leaving a smear of fluid in its wake. Such an aphrodisiac it was to have power over this one. “Was there ever a more delectable sight?” Erestor mused.

“You are going to die so thoroughly once I get ahold of you,” Glorfindel growled.

“You know what to say if you want satisfaction,” Erestor replied smugly. He dropped back a little, his shaft sliding down the crack of Fin’s arse.

Glorfindel hesitated.

“I can wait all night,” Erestor said, giving Fin’s rear a little nudge with his cock.

Fin’s eyelids slid to half-mast; he bit his lower lip.  “Very well,” he said breathlessly, “Do it. Fuck me. Now.  For gods’ sake, now!”

In one motion, Erestor pushed Fin’s knees forward and out, rolling his rear upwards.  Then, he rammed hard against the gates, which at first failed to yield to him.  “Tight as a virgin,” Erestor grunted.

“Son of a bitch!” Fin yelled as his stomach muscles visibly clenched.  

Erestor took himself in hand and pushed.  Glorfindel yelped, and then suddenly Erestor broke through and was inside that tight heat for the first time.  The snug ring squeezed along his length until it held him like a vise at the base of his cock, leaving him light-headed with pleasure. “Mandos! You sheathe me well.”    
 
“Fuck,” Fin cried, arching up, throwing his head back, and baring a long, taut throat. He swallowed hard.  “Oh bloody fuck! Finish me or I’ll have your head.”

“You are in no position . . .  to make threats,” Erestor gasped.  He punctuated his comment with a deep thrust. Oh, that felt good. “Blessed Arda, you have a nice arse,” he said.  

Fin strained at his bonds.  He gave Erestor a furiously pleading look.  So lovely.  Erestor began pounding with alacrity and precision.  He knew that his knees would pay later for this abuse on the hard floor, but at the moment all he felt was savage pleasure driving him towards its conclusion. He felt Fin’s thighs becoming slick as they jerked back and forth against Erestor’s hips.  Fin’s face glowed with a sheen of sweat. He was gasping, “Fucking Eru, ‘Restor.”

Mandos, but he was tight, almost too much. Erestor had a moment to wonder about it, but he was close now and beyond cogent thought. He braced himself with one hand on the floor and grasping Fin’s marvelous organ, tugged rapidly, feeling the smooth slip of skin over that iron-hard rod.  “Melethron, I want to see you come,” he panted.  "Now!"   

Glorfindel made a strange, sobbing moan as his hips came off the floor and his cock convulsed in Erestor’s hand. Hot liquid flecked Erestor’s chest, the final pulses pouring creamily over his fist. The rhythmic squeeze on Erestor’s cock set his own release in motion. His mouth flew open. Another thrust - deep, deeper than before, and he followed, emptying himself hard, thought flying into the oblivion of unspeakable pleasure. He kept moving, more, more, pumping himself dry.  Oh gods. Panting, he fell forward onto his hands.  Ache.  Balls ached.  Fin’s belly was painted with white globs.  His head was thrown back, his eyes squeezed shut, his whole body shuddering.  

“Sweet Eru, you are magnificent,” Erestor husked. "I think I've got the dry heaves."                              
Fin was murmuring something incoherent between panting breaths.  Erestor fell over onto his side. He kissed the high arch of Fin’s cheek. “That was one fine ride, meleth.”

Fin twitched, then slowly lifted his head. “Glad to have been of service,” he said dryly. He coughed.  “Get me out of this.” He brought his arms downward sharply and the cloth tore against the knife blade.  Erestor pulled the knife free from the floorboard and set it on the table.  Fin sat up, wrenched off the robe binding his hands, and tossed it aside.

After such an intense culmination, Erestor's body hummed with pleasure.  Smiling, he trailed the flat of his hand down Fin's chest to his belly, noticing the sticky residue.  He grabbed up a drying cloth and wiped Fin’s belly and rear clean, then did the same for himself.  All the while Fin sat still, his head dipped forward, face obscured by that tangled cloud of golden hair.

“Are you well?” Erestor asked, suddenly concerned about the way his lover was acting.  

Glorfindel stood, rather stiffly, and with a little groan, fell onto the couch.  “I need a drink,” he said.  “Is the brandy still intact or was that the shattering glass I heard?”

Erestor surveyed the damage and began picking up the items that had fallen off the table.  “Brandy’s still here, but the wine bottle didn’t survive,” he said, holding up a broken shard. “Fortunately, we had drunk almost all of it already.”  

Fin put a hand to his forehead. “What madness came over us?”  
                                        
Pouring some brandy into the metal cup, Erestor handed it over to Fin, who downed it in three gulps with no change of expression, then held out the cup for more.  His manner was subdued; he did not meet Erestor’s eyes.  The reason was suddenly all too apparent.

“You didn’t like playing the sheath, did you?” Erestor commented.  He took the cup, refilled it, and handed it back.  

Glorfindel took another mouthful and held it a moment before swallowing. “It’s been a while,” he said gruffly.  

Erestor poured himself a fingerwidth of brandy and tossed it back.  Harshly alcoholic.  Not bad, not good either.  Perhaps it would be best to get drunk.  He eyed Fin with concern.  He never had expected this reaction.  Fin was staring at the fire.  A piece of wood popped, sending up sparks.

“You didn’t tell me it would bother you,” Erestor said.

“I  . . .  I didn’t think it would matter.”

“Did it not feel good?”

“It felt good.”  Another gulp of brandy.

“Well, I don’t apologize,” Erestor said. “You should be able to take the same as you give. And just as rough. That is fair, is it not?”

“Fair, yes.” Fin smiled wanly at Erestor.  “Unexpectedly, it took me to a place I hadn’t been in a long time, that’s the run of it.”  He got up, dipped a rag into the wash water in the cauldron by the fireplace and cleaned himself off more thoroughly.  Then he went to the window, unlatched the shutter, and peered out.  A whisper of cold air flowed into the room.  “It’s still snowing,” he commented.  He was a picture of masculine beauty: long, muscular limbs taut, skin gleaming golden in the firelight, clad only in the flow of curling hair which just reached the curve of his lower back.  

Erestor came up behind him and slid both arms about his waist. Fin's back stiffened.  Erestor was beginning to regret his bid for control over his lover. But how in Arda was he to have known this! Glorfindel, the notorious rake, and by all accounts, a creative and passionate bed partner, did not like the bottom! He rubbed his face against Glorfindel’s silky hair.  “Talk to me.”

“The ghosts of the past aren’t meant to haunt the living,” Fin replied.

“And yet clearly they do.  You have said that you love me. Didn't you want us to become close? To share everything? I would not have this between us.”  

Glorfindel sighed.

“Come.”  Erestor closed the shutter with a bang.  “I am not going to stand here in the cold air. Let’s lie where it is more comfortable.”     

“The cold matters not,” Fin replied in a remote tone.    

His manner was strange.  Erestor poked up the fire and threw on another log.  Then he gathered the olive oil and the brandy and cups.  He turned to eye Fin and gestured with a tilt of his head towards the large, canopied bed. Setting the items down in a shelf in the  headboard, he tore open the bedcovers and slid between them. The sheets were cold and slightly damp but rapidly warmed against his body. He poured out two cups and held one up invitingly.  “Come, join me, meleth.  I assure you, it is more pleasant in here than where you are.”

“No doubt,” Fin said. He strode over to the bed and got in, clambering roughly over Erestor, and nearly spilling the drinks in the process.   

“Careful now,” Erestor laughed trying to hold the cups level.  “If these spill, you’ll make the bed uninhabitable.”

“Now that’s the Erestor I know -  fastidious,” Fin said taking hold of the proffered cup and settling back against the pillow.  “I wondered where that other Erestor came from, that wild creature with no care for slicing up a perfectly good robe.”  He took a long gulp.                                    
Erestor tugged at a lock of Fin’s silky hair that straggled across his chest.  “That Erestor has always been here.  You are just not acquainted with him.”

“Charmed,” Fin said, raising his cup in greeting.

“I assure you, there are others at court who know my darker nature.  Just ask my assistant.”
 
Glorfindel smiled ruefully. “Oh, indeed I’ve seen that side of you, Counselor.  Many is the time I’ve been a recipient of that sharp tongue.  I meant that I knew you as the rather prissy, celibate Counselor; I had not thought of you as that lusty and forceful elf who could give me such a thorough drubbing.  It’s been many a year since someone did that to me.”  

“As I recall, you accepted my challenge with nary a blink, so it's a little late in the day to be sulking.”
                                
“Hunh,” Fin grunted, sulking.

"Here, have some more," Erestor said, filling Glorfindel's cup.  "It's not the best way I know to dull pain, but it's what we have."  He watched Fin take another gulp.  Erestor polished off the rest of his own brandy, then set his cup aside. The alcohol was stealing into his limbs, making him feel loose, somewhat reckless.  He propped his head on his hand. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?  So, let me guess.  Someone used you in the past and you have ne’er gotten over it.”

“I was young; it happened long ago; and it is finished.  I thought it would not matter any more.”

Erestor sat up a bit.  So that was it! He had never seen Glorfindel anything other than supremely confident in matters of love.  This was an astonishing revelation. He had to learn more.  He waited, but Fin did not seem inclined to talk further. Instead, he settled into nursing his brandy.  Erestor climbed onto Fin's lap and lifted his chin to gaze into those wide blue eyes.  He could feel the pleasant warmth of Fin’s body seeping into his.  “Out with it,” he said.

“It’s not important,” Glorfindel replied tonelessly.  

“Tell me, or I swear I’ll beat you with this pillow,” Erestor said with mock-sternness. He grabbed the pillow and raised it menacingly, then smacked Fin on the chest with it to show he meant business.  

Fin held his hand up against the assault and caught the pillow easily in his large hand.  His lips twitched in a brief smile. “Very well, since you persist, Counselor, I’ll tell you, though you may not like what you hear.”  

"In my long life, there is little that I haven't heard," Erestor said.  "I doubt you'll shock me."

-tbc-

Chapter 4

Read Chapter 4

Glorfindel cleared his throat and began almost as if reciting a poem. “It was ages ago. The Tower of Turgon had just been finished and Gondolin shone new and white in the sun.  I was young also, the only scion left of the House of the Golden Flower, with too much responsibility thrust upon me and not enough experience. To make myself worthy in my own eyes I enlisted to train as a soldier for Turgon's guard.  There was a captain of my company, tall and dark, with fine skill at arms and a magnetism that many felt. Garathind, his name was.  I came to admire him greatly, and being young, knew not what to do about it.  I followed him about like a pup and worked hard perfecting my skill at arms in order to win his approval, but he barely seemed to notice me, or so it seemed at first.

“One day several of us were practicing with fighting staves. The sun was hot so we had stripped down.  I had just felled my sparring partner when I felt eyes upon me.  I turned and there he was - looking at me.  Just looking.  I’ll never forget that expression - one of deep hunger.”  

“I’m sure you presented a fine sight,” Erestor said.  With his fingertips, he stroked down Findel’s smooth chest, appreciating the perfect undulating dip of muscle, just as he imagined that other elf had appreciated it centuries earlier.

“It appears that Garathind thought so, though I did not know it at the time. My situation went from being ignored to that of the warrior he most often tested and seemed to find wanting. He sparred with me himself, and if I faltered at all, he would set me to difficult tasks: running up the side of the mountain or cleaning the entire stable. There was a time he forced me to hold two buckets of water with arms extended to the side while he walked around me, mocking, until I couldn’t hold them up anymore. When I finally dropped them, my face burning with chagrin, he gave me a look of utmost scorn and assigned me the duty of guarding his tent at night when we were out in the field. Some noticed that he was treating me harshly.  My friends were indignant.  But others weren’t so kind and began to whisper.  For myself, I still wanted to please him and keenly felt it when I only seemed to fail.

“There came a night when I heard a strange noise in the forest near his tent and went to investigate.  Finding nothing, I returned, and he confronted me, asking me where I had been.  No explanation satisfied him, and furious, he bade me enter his tent for discipline.  He stripped me naked, had me lean up against one of the tent supports, and lashed my buttocks with a whip. Then, strangely enough, he was tender with me. Told me he admired my bravery.  Had me lie down on his bed while he smeared salve on my wounds. I remember that his hands seemed to tremble as they caressed me.  The pleasure of his touch and soft words after so long when he had only offered censure was strangely erotic, and to my confusion and embarrassment, my body responded.   He bade me leave, and as I turned over, I tried to cover myself, but he saw.  ‘Is that how you truly feel, Glorfindel,’ he said, ‘after all I have done to discourage you?’

“I stammered and apologized but he merely smiled like a wolf eyeing a downed stag.  He reached between my legs and stroked me to full hardness, despite my protests.  Then, he turned me back over and mounted me.” Glorfindel looked at Erestor to see how he was taking this revelation.

“The bastard!” Erestor exclaimed. “Did he hurt you?”

“I was a virgin.  He did not prepare me.  Yes, it hurt.  Afterwards, he dismissed me with curt words. He didn't even look at me. I remember running into the night through a dense tangle of trees, hardly feeling the smacking of branches against my body, and finally collapsing in a meadow and looking up at the stars, wondering at their coldness.  Never before had I felt such humiliation.  I remember he had said to me as he was doing it, ‘You wanted this, Glorfindel. You wanted it.’  And I had.”

“No, you did not,” Erestor said forcefully. “You wanted his love and he gave you scorn and degradation, then tried to make his weakness into yours.”

“Perhaps,” Fin laughed bitterly, “but then, you see, I went back for more.”  He paused and took another swallow of the brandy.  “I tried to avoid him, but he was my captain.  He commanded me and I felt I had no choice but to obey.  Always it was the same pattern.  He would whip me, then speak soft, loving words before taking me brutally. I couldn’t tell anyone. He had many friends who thought well of him. Indeed, he was married and had a son nigh to my own age.”

“He was ashamed of his lust and that is why he acted as he did,” Erestor said.

Glorfindel turned blazing eyes on him. “Years later I figured that out.  At the time . . . I thought I was to blame. Certainly that is what he told me, over and over again.”  He leaned his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes. “I have not thought about this in a long while, Erestor, and never have I spoken about it to anyone.  Strange that the images are still there, so vivid after all I’ve been through - since.”

Erestor took his hand and entwined their fingers.  “I am honored by your confidence. What happened then?”

“Others began to notice my battle skills. I led a cohort in a surprise attack on orcs that had wandered too close to the Crissaegrim, the mountains of the hidden realm, and we utterly destroyed them. Turgon promoted me over Garathind. Now I was his commander. Curious, that it may have been his goading that pushed me to excel in the first place.”

Erestor chuckled. “What did Garathind think of that?”

“He was furious. Challenged me to combat.”                     

“And?”

A grim smile. “I beat him.  Thrashed him thoroughly. Before all assembled, I held him down and let him feel how much stronger I was than he.”

"Good." Erestor nodded in approval.

Glorfindel’s jaw clenched.  “He left me alone after that.  It was then that I began taking other lovers. Never seriously or for too long. But I treated them properly.  You may be sure I never humiliated anyone as he had me.”

“Ah,” Erestor murmured. Suddenly he understood Glorfindel’s dalliances. He had thought they were due to vanity, a desire to conquer, and a lack of will to stay afterwards. Never had he imagined that at their heart lay self-reproach. “What happened to Garathind?”

“He died in the assault on Gondolin.”

“Did you ever confront him about what he did to you?”

“No. There was no need.  I am not a cur to whine about past hurts.”

“No, you are not.”  Erestor gently turned Glorfindel’s face towards him and gave him a long kiss.  Glorfindel returned it, but without his characteristic ardor. Erestor withdrew, his apprehension mounting.   “Did you ever let anyone take you again?” he ventured.

“It happened only twice.  Both affairs ended shortly afterwards.”
                                   
“Why?” Erestor asked sharply.
                                           
“I don’t really know.  They just did,” Glorfindel replied.

"You would let such a thing come between you and someone you loved?" Erestor cried, his voice rising.  He did not speak his sudden fear but it was there, crawling around in his gut.

Glorfindel chewed on his lip for a moment. "I did not love those others.  They were pleasant bed-partners, that's all."

"That's all? Like all of them? Like me, Fin?  Am I just a pleasant bed partner? Someone with whom to pass the time for lack of anyone better, until you can get back to court and resume your philandering?"

"No," Fin said angrily. "I told you I loved you.  Have loved you for a long time. I would not say such a thing idly."            

"You never told anyone else that you loved him?"

"I did not say that."

"Curse you, Fin!"  Erestor sat up and socked Glorfindel in the shoulder with his fist.  "It all has to be on your terms, doesn't it?"

Glorfindel grabbed Erestor's wrists, restraining him. "That is not so," he said.

"You're not willing to let me take you?"

"If my sore arse is not mistaken, you just did."

"But you disliked it.  You'd prefer I never did it again, wouldn't you?"

Glorfindel inhaled noisily, sighed, and stared into his cup, turning it around in his hands.

"Wouldn't you, Fin?"  Erestor repeated louder.  He could feel anger rising up hard in his throat. With a quick movement, he straddled Glorfindel, took the cup from his hand, drained the last swallow, and then tossed it over his shoulder. Heard it land with a resounding clang and a roll.  He grabbed Glorfindel's shoulders. “Let me tell you something. I like it both ways, spear or sheath, it makes no difference to me. But what I want in a lover is equality, not dominance. I want to be able to make love however I feel at the moment.  No limitations.  No restrictions.  No fears or taboos.  I have had five hundred and fifty years of playing the quiver to Ossë’s bow.  I was a virtual slave to his whims and passions and had to be careful of everything I said and did. I had to control my feelings, keep them corked up tight, and, quite frankly, I've had my fill of it!  You can call that my quirk, if you will. And if you're going to be my lover, you had bloody well better understand my feelings on the subject!"

At first they stared angrily at each other as if they were opponents circling, looking for weakness.  Fin's face had turned a peculiar shade of red.  But slowly his expression changed.  His mouth twitched into a wry smile.  "Did you know that when you become angry a charming little crease appears, between your eyebrows? Just so."  He traced it with his little finger.

Erestor grabbed up the pillow next to them and smacked Fin in the face with it.  "What a miserable rejoinder," he yelled. "What if I just kill you now?"

Under the pillow, he heard muffled laughter.  "Have fun trying to bury me in all this snow."

"I'd thought rather of stuffing you up a chimney."  Erestor felt a smile blooming on his own face.  He pulled the pillow away to look at Fin. Those amazing blue eyes were laughing up at him.  And by the gods, Erestor realized how much he was in love with him.

"Old patterns die hard, eh Counselor?  We'd rather fight than make love," Fin said.

"Oh no, I'd much rather make love to you," Erestor replied. He pushed Fin back into the pillow and lay down on top of him. "Preferably, buried deep in that tight little arse of yours."
 
"Huh," said Fin.  "Don't you think it's my turn?"

"Dissembling again, my love?  How are we going to cure you of this malady?"

"Malady?  I am not ill," Glorfindel said, indignantly.  "I promise you, that part of my life is far behind me.  I hadn't even thought of it until tonight.  It's simply a matter of forgetting again, burying it more deeply."

“Not so simple. Apparently your body does not forget. It flinches away from remembered pain. You were treated evilly at a time when you were young and vulnerable and you are still sick with it.  I suspect burying it deeper only will make it fester closer to the bone."

“What do you propose, Counselor?"

Erestor kissed him again, slowly and deliberately. “Last night you claimed you loved me.  The question is, do you trust me?”

Glorfindel’s clear blue eyes looked calmly into his. His face had taken on that wide-eyed, innocent look so irresistible to Erestor and, apparently, to many others as well.

“Yes, I trust you,” Fin said.

Erestor got off the bed and found the wine-cup he'd tossed away.  He came back, poured the last of the brandy into it and handed it to Fin.  "Drink the rest of this."

"You're going to get me drunk, Counselor?"
                           
"And lower your inhibitions, yes, that is the general idea."

Erestor had been thinking, mind furiously whirring in fact.  Little had he thought how true his words might prove, that he would know Glorfindel’s heart once he had taken him.  He realized the malady lay deep and would need care to bring it to the surface and supplant it.  An image had come to him, the memory of Oiolairë, terrified, straining against his ropes, his breath blowing loudly through flared, blood-red nostrils, his eyes rolling off-kilter to the whites. And there was his magnificent Fin, approaching that fearsome beast calmly, murmuring like leaves in the wind, then pressing his face against the stallion's neck, stroking him, giving him love and reassurance.  A gentling, perhaps that's what Glorfindel needed. It was worth a try.  At stake was their new-found love.  But first, he needed to focus Fin's attention, as he was more stubborn than any horse.  "I want you to turn over and close your eyes, Fin."

"What are you going to do?"

"Just do it and do not argue.  Bloody Mandos, I thought you were a soldier? Don't you take orders?"

"Indeed, híren." Glorfindel turned over.

Erestor climbed back on the bed, sat on Fin’s thighs, and slid his hand over those firm, round buttocks. Smooth as cured leather. His finger slipped down into the crack and felt the tiny puckered ridges on the tender interior.  So alluring.

“What is your intention?” Fin breathed.  Erestor swatted him hard on that delectable rear and Fin let out a surprised gasp.
 
"Don't test my mettle, warrior. You know my determination," Erestor said.  "Now relax.  I want you to feel pleasure.  Don't think.  Don't remember past hurts. If I catch you thinking or tensing up, I'll swat you again."

"How will you know whether or not I'm thinking?"

Erestor administered another resounding whack that stung his hand.  "I'll know."

"You are a hard taskmaster," Fin said.  But there was a trace of a smile in his words.  Erestor recalled how much Fin had always seemed to enjoy their sparring, even while it exasperated him.

Erestor caressed the skin made warm by his discipline, lightly squeezing one buttock. "I'll tell you what will happen, melethron, I'm going to take you again this night, at some point.  But this time it will be slow and easy.  There is nothing to fear and I will make it good for you.  I promise, you'll be begging me to do it again."

"I don't know about that."

Another smack. "You are thinking again, doubting me. I want you to silence all thought.  Open up your senses."  He leaned down and gently blew on the tiny white hairs in the small of Fin's back.  He licked the area, tasting salt and Fin's warm skin, then blew on them again.  Glorfindel shivered.  Erestor gathered up that heavy shock of yellow hair, pulling it gently through his hands, then he twisted it around itself and drew it off to the side, baring the tender nape of Fin's neck. He slid down that long, muscular body until he lay full-length on top of him, then brushed his lips across the back of Fin's neck over to his ear. “Melethron,” Erestor husked, “I do believe that both of us need to cast off the patterns that our bodies have learnt from old lovers, and reforge lovemaking into a thing new-wrought, beautiful, and unique to us alone.  If you really don't like something, you  have only to say 'stop' and I will.  The control is all yours, meleth."   

"Very well."  Fin's head was turned to the side.  He closed his eyes and sighed, his body visibly sinking into the bed.

"That's good.  Relax and think of spring when the blossoms of mallos and alfirin, golden and white, blow in the wind by Lindon's shores."

"As you wish, Counselor."
 
Erestor reached for the bottle of olive oil, poured out a measure, sat on the high curve of Fin's rear and began kneading the strong muscles of his back, digging his fingers in, loosening the tension.  He could feel himself becoming increasingly stimulated as he slid back and forth along Fin's oiled arse, the motion rubbing where it counted.  Erestor could feel Fin's breathing deepen as his muscles relaxed.

"Tell me Fin, where did you learn that nonsense you spoke to calm Oiolairë on the docks of Umbar?"

"Eh?  Oh that. From another elf in Gondolin who had the gift.  They are simply rhymes learned in childhood all jumbled together with no meaning.  It is the tone that soothes, not the words."

"Yes, but when you sang them, I had a vision of a meadow with tall grass. I had no doubt that was what Oiolairë saw too."

"Interesting."

"Glorfindel, I want you to think about what I'm doing in the same way.  Just like singing songs to Oiolairë, I want you to supplant the images that you have been harboring in your body, those of being taken against your will, with new images and sensations. But for it to work, you must help.  You must not resist me."

"Ah, you plan to gentle the fractious stallion, then, do you?"

Again, Erestor smacked Fin's flank, felt Fin jump beneath him. "With a combination of spur and carrot, yes I plan to do just that," he said.

He could feel Fin quivering under his thighs just as if his ears were pricked forward and he was tasting the wind before the race.  Slowly, Erestor lowered his mouth to the nape of Fin's neck and nipped him, then sucked the flesh to take away the sting.  "In this case, however," Erestor said as he kissed along Fin's shoulder blade, "I think more of the carrot is in order.  I am telling you, if you stop thinking and just feel, you will enjoy it."  Gently, he grabbed a chunk of skin in his teeth, just enough for Fin to feel the pinch before he released it.  He continued the journey downwards: lick, nip, kiss, until he got to Fin's rear.  He patted it, feeling the firm give of relaxed muscle under his hand.   "Do you know when I first noticed your magnificent arse, Fin?"  There was a muffled noise in reply. "It was shortly after you appeared out of the west, arriving with Círdan.  You were fey, jumpy almost, although I did notice that your smile, when you chose to grace someone with it, lit up the room. You were wearing an old-fashioned tunic that barely covered your hips, and your leggings were much too tight."

"I remember," Fin said, almost as if coming out of a dream, "they hadn't time to tailor clothes for me and I was wearing something given me by Círdan. A bit of a tight fit. But I don't remember taking much heed of it.  Everything was so strange to me, then."

"Indeed," Erestor grinned.  "Those leggings were the talk of everyone at Court, in sly whispers, behind hands.  I had to see for myself.  I went to the banquet where you were to be presented and was disappointed to see you wearing a long outer robe that covered everything down to your ankles."

"Ah, it makes sense now," Fin laughed.  "Ereinion asked me to wear it as a sign of rank.  Perhaps he was just preventing more gossip?"

"Do you remember at one point you mentioned that you were warm, and I suggested removing the robe and going out to the balcony to take the breeze?"

"Vaguely, yes."

"I can still recall watching you unbutton the front - I was in an agony of anticipation - helping you out of it, and handing it off to a servant.  I directed your attention to something and, trying not to be too obvious, I looked."  Erestor chuckled.  "I had to stifle a gasp when I saw that impressive bulge in the front of those sinfully tight leggings. I remember thinking, 'for once the rumors are not exaggerated.'  And when you went out onto the balcony and leaned over it and the tunic rode up . . .  ah yes, splendid."  Erestor caressed Fin's buttocks lovingly.  "I had the most wicked thoughts."

"I had no idea," Glorfindel said.  A smile played about those lush lips. "If I'd known those cursed leggings had that effect on you, I'd have continued to wear them.  I only remember how uncomfortable they were. Tell me, what were you thinking, exactly?"

In answer, Erestor leaned down and licked a swipe from the small dimples on either side of Fin's tailbone, all the way down to the fleshy underside of his arse, his tongue encountering small imperfections in what appeared to be perfect skin. It was completely erotic. He kissed his way back up, and then nipped a trail downward again.  With both hands, he pulled Fin's cheeks apart and proceeded to lick and kiss all along the interior, tasting the spicy flavor of dark fruit. He paused at the little knotted hole, feeling it tense. He raised his head.  "Are you well, meleth?"

"Do you like doing that?"  Fin asked, breathlessly.

"I love it," Erestor said.  He went back to his task with enthusiasm: vibrating his tongue, making him very wet, blowing on him gently, and finally thrusting his tongue within him.

"That's . . . very good," he heard Fin sigh as he pushed back to meet Erestor's mouth.  "It has been a while for this, too."

Erestor proceeded to lick Fin within an inch of his life.  Clearly, Fin was enjoying it, as he was flexing his hips rhythmically against the bed.  Erestor moved downward, running his tongue over tight skin around his balls, then sucking them gently into his mouth, one at a time.  "Gods, yes," Fin said as he rounded his back to give Erestor more access,  His legs were quivering.  Erestor reached around, slid his hand across Fin's stomach and  touched  . . . oh yes, Fin was definitely enjoying himself.  Erestor palmed Fin's very hard cock and stroked as he licked, spreading moisture with both actions.  He bit on each side of a fleshy cheek just hard enough for pain, feeling Fin flinch away, but then the warrior moved back in place for more. Mmm, Erestor realized he should not have assumed that simply because Fin had had so many love affairs he was open to all forms of love-making.  Always much better to find out exactly what your lover's preferences were and then perhaps ease him into practices about which he was less enthusiastic.  There was still so much to learn about this one.  Erestor intended to make it as good for him as he could. Ossë had had no complaints.  For a moment, Erestor remembered sand on his tongue and the taste of seaweed.

"Uh . . . uh . . . oh gods, Erestor, what are you doing to me? It's tingling, all over, " Fin moaned. His hip thrusts were coming faster now; in fact, he was fairly wriggling with pleasure.  It was time to take the pace back down.  Erestor sat up, wiped an arm across his very wet mouth and licked his lips.       

Fin rolled onto his side to look at him, a lustful haze darkening his pupils.  Erestor flopped down, wrapped an arm about Fin’s waist, and kissed him, kissed him good and hard, opened his mouth and devoured Fin, letting him taste himself all over the inside of Erestor's mouth.  He wrapped a leg around Fin's thighs, drawing their bodies close together so that their loins were pressed tight.  As they kissed, Erestor began rotating his hips slowly, grinding himself against Fin's cock. Tingling heat. Bliss.

Erestor nipped Glorfindel's chin, moved back to nudge at his lips, demanding entrance, then kissing him deeply again. His tongue swirled around Fin's, courting him, then evading him when Fin sought to dominate the kiss.  Glorfindel’s lips left Erestor’s mouth,  traveled down his neck, sucking on it, making a mark.  Erestor threw his head back, offering more of his throat to his lover. At the same time, he reached down and took Fin's cock in his hand, stroked firmly, then pushed it between his thighs as he brought his leg back down.  Crossing his ankles tightly, he let Fin thrust between his thighs, while their kisses grew more and more passionate.

"Oh, you are a wonder," Fin said breathlessly.  "An exquisite lover.  It's a good thing I did not know exactly what I was missing all these years, or I might have burst into your room and ravished you, despite your oath."

"I had guards on call, you wouldn't have gotten far," Erestor pointed out.  "Ah, yes, Fin, yes, that's good." Glorfindel had sucked one of Erestor's nipples into his mouth and was now wrecking havoc with it, teasing with his teeth, then lapping at it rapidly.  Erestor could feel himself losing some of the control he had been exerting.  "Yesssss," he crooned.

Glorfindel gave the nipple a final kiss, then spit into his hand, reached down for Erestor's cock and began jerking it, almost roughly.  He went back to tonguing and sucking the other nipple. "Delicious little buds you have,” Fin said. “Do you like that?”

“Too much, as you are discovering. Valar, your tongue,” Erestor gasped.

Fin continued thrusting between Erestor’s thighs. “I could come this way," he said.

"Oh gods, I could too with what you’re doing.  But no," Erestor replied, “that would accomplish nothing. I have a better idea."  He disentangled himself and looked at Glorfindel. "You promised to free your mind from the past. I want you to fill it with this instead. I am going to tell you of a fantasy I had last year on Mettarë eve. Do you remember that party?”

Fin nodded.

Erestor continued, “I remember it so well.  You were drunk, laughing and flirting with anyone who came nigh.  Gildor proved most receptive that night. I was quite sober and trying to avoid the attentions of that odious delegate from Forlindon.  I remember watching you, disgusted by your behavior, as I was wont to be." Erestor smiled. "In retrospect, it was probably more that I envied your freedom to behave as you wished, while I was bound.  From across the room I noticed you looking at me and our eyes met.  Your expression changed into one of the most profound longing.  That was the first time I had an inkling of how you felt towards me, though I dared not think about it.  Shortly afterwards you left with Gildor, and I followed, as if drawn against my will.

“I remember,” Fin said softly. “You were so beautiful, dressed in that tight green jacket, your hair pulled back in one long braid, twined with gold thread.  I wanted you so badly.  You speak of being bound.  Was I not bound as well by your vow?”

“Yes, I suppose you were,” Erestor conceded.  “In any case that night I saw you and Gildor go up the stairs, holding onto each other.  At one point, he stumbled and you caught him, and suddenly you were kissing each other. A deep, hungry kiss. I remember his hands were all over your lovely arse.  And oh, Fin, how I wanted that, how I wanted to be him.  I was filled with lust, and because of my oath, unable to do a thing about it.  I went back to my room, tore off my clothes, and lay down naked on my bed.  Just like this."

Erestor rolled onto his back, his hard cock falling into place at an angle against his belly.  He reached down and slid his hand along it, squeezing a little as he went.  He inhaled raggedly, then looked up at Fin with one eye to see if he was watching.  He was, rather avidly.  Fin's hand went to his own cock and began gently stroking.

Erestor said, "As I lay there in the dark, I imagined that I had followed you and Gildor to your room.  You'd left the door slightly ajar.  I slipped inside, walked through your sitting room, and opened the door to your inner chamber a crack.  You were too well occupied to notice.  There was a fire in the fireplace, just like this one.  It lit you both in golden light and shadow.  I watched you - removing each other's clothing, kissing each portion of bare skin as it was revealed. Soon the pace accelerated and you were ripping them off each other, your breath becoming ragged.  When your leggings came off, Gildor sank down to his knees."

Erestor closed his eyes and began to stroke himself harder. "I watched the wet gleam on skin as your beautiful cock emerged from his mouth.  It made me so hot."  Erestor bent his knees, stuck his middle finger in his mouth and then pushed it gently into his entrance and pumped it in and out.   He rotated his hips slowly as he continued stroking. Gods, it felt good.

"What happened next?" Fin asked.  Erestor felt Fin's warm hand on his hip and opened his eyes.  Fin was leaning over him, with a look of complete fascination.   

"Gildor turned around and bent over the bed, offering himself up to you.  You grabbed him by the hips, pulled him towards the edge of the bed, and took him, still standing.  You took him hard and fast.  There was a great commotion as the bed squeaked and groaned under you.  It went on for a long time and I became so hard watching you, I thought I would explode.  Then finally, you threw back your head and roared out your completion, and so did he.  You collapsed on the bed next to him and for a while you lay there kissing each other.  Then he murmured something about duty the next morning and got up to leave.”

Fin smiled. “An elaborate fantasy.  Are you sure you didn’t really watch us?”

“Tut,” Erestor said.  “What a thought.  Now listen.  So, Gildor put on his clothes and started coming towards me so that I had to quickly hide in the wardrobe.  After I heard the hall door close, I attempted to make good my escape.  But upon opening the door I discovered you standing there, naked, watching me, eyes aglow, much as you are looking at me now.  At first I was mortified and started to make excuses, but you merely said, 'Why did it take you so long, Erestor?' I was dumbfounded and struggled to find anything to say.  But you stepped forward, took me in your arms, and kissed me, just as you want to do now."

And Fin smiled, leaned down and kissed Erestor, sweetly and deeply. When he finally broke the kiss and pulled back, they were both smiling.  Erestor felt as if his face would split with it.  "Then,” Erestor continued, “you pulled me into your room and fell backwards on the bed, holding your arms out to me. I cast all my duties and obligations into the air. In an instant I was on you, like this."  

Erestor sat up, tumbled Fin over and began frantically kissing him everywhere he could reach.  His tongue circled a nipple before sucking it into his mouth.  Fin was moving, shuddering in delight.  His lovely, huge cock was rubbing against Erestor's belly.

"Hmmm," Fin groaned.  "Did I like that?"

"Most assuredly, but you liked this even more."  Erestor flipped his head forward causing his hair to arc over it and pool in a silky mass on Fin's pale belly.  His face obscured behind that black curtain, Erestor sank down and took Fin's cock as far as he could down his throat.  He heard Fin gasp with pleasure.  Erestor worked him up and down hard, hollowed his cheeks and sucked, until he heard Fin begin to whimper.  Pushing his hair back from his face, Erestor looked up at his beautiful lover, who was positively writhing in pleasure.

"Yes, yes, I know I liked that part," Glorfindel moaned.

“In my fantasy, we told each other that now the moment had come for us, we knew it was right.  You said to me, 'Erestor, I want you to put your cock in me and fuck me, long and hard and deep.'"

"I said that? I don't remember it."

"This is my fantasy and that is precisely what you said."  

"Ah," Fin replied.  "I must have meant it then."

Erestor sat up, grabbed the bottle of olive oil, and poured a generous amount on his hands.  He pressed their cocks together, with a rolling motion, stroked both of them together.

"Gods," Fin said.

"Lie back," Erestor said quietly. "Bring your knees up."  Fin relaxed backwards like a rag doll while Erestor dribbled oil down Fin's behind and then eased a finger into him.  Erestor took his time, waited for the muscle to relax, then he hooked his finger around, searching for . . . Fin gasped; his hips lifted off the bed.  Mmm, yes, found it.  Erestor pressed in with another finger, probed more deeply, stroked.  Fin shivered. "Do you like that?" Erestor asked.

"Sweet Eru," Glorfindel moaned. "That is what I've been missing?  What a fool I've been."

"I take it that means yes," Erestor smiled. He withdrew his fingers and positioned himself between Fin's spread legs.  "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Fin said. "Get it over with."

But Erestor was not done playing with Fin's expectations. “You’re thinking again,” he said, with a sudden smack to Fin’s rump.  Then, he swung his legs forward, straddled his lover's waist, grasped Fin's cock, which by now was so engorged that it seemed to be throbbing, and skewered himself onto it.  They both cried out, Fin with surprised pleasure, and Erestor in pain from accommodating such a large object in such a small space.  He sat still for a moment, trying to relax and become used to it. He put his hands down on the bed and pushed with them, up and down, at first slowly, then with gathering speed.  "Doesn't that feel good?" he gasped.

"Valar, how can you ask?  It is the most exquisite feeling I know of," Fin groaned.
Erestor leaned forward, resting their foreheads together.  "Fin, do you want to know how it feels to have you inside me like this?  What it's like for me?"  He felt Fin's slight nod against his forehead.  "At first it's painful, but it is a good pain, full of anticipation of pleasure.  Then as you move and I become used to you, there is a feeling of being stretched, full to bursting.  And I feel so close to you. I love knowing that you want me. And I want you too. When you speed up and begin pounding me, hitting that sweet spot within, the most exquisite sensation begins spreading outwards throughout my whole being. I am lifted out of myself into a different realm of feeling. Then, I want you to take me hard, to make me scream. I love feeling your loins slapping up hard against my arse, pushing me forward with each thrust.  I love hearing your breath blowing hard like that of a race horse.  Then, it's time. And I hear you cry out, and suddenly I let go, everything releases, and it is like that moment at daybreak when Anor first bursts over the horizon in fiery splendor, a moment of perfect ecstasy."

"I know that feeling," Fin said breathlessly.  "That is just what it's like to come inside you."

Erestor dropped his mouth to Fin's.  "I want to take you now," he said against Fin's lips, "'not to dominate or humiliate you, but to show you my admiration, my respect, my love, Fin. You deserve nothing less.  I want you to know the same pleasure that I feel when you are inside me. Don't you want that?"    

He felt Fin nod. With a groan and a little shiver, Erestor eased himself off Fin's cock, then stretched his legs back and situated himself between Fin's bent knees.  He nudged Fin's opening, pushed, began the long glide in, slowly, inch by inch.  "Oh, that's so good, meleth," he sighed. "Tell me if you feel discomfort."

Fin was tight. Erestor looked up and saw him gritting his teeth, but he seemed to settle into it.  By the time Erestor was fully sheathed, Fin was panting.  Erestor leaned down and kissed him, gently.  Fin kissed him back with increasing ardor.

"Love me," Fin said.  “I want you to.”

And that is just what Erestor did - at first rocking him gently, waiting for the moans indicating pleasure, waiting for them to increase in urgency, angling to try to hit that magic place within Findel, stroking his cock. Fin was moaning, “Ohhhh, that’s good. Had no idea it could be that good.”

Then, the red lust took over.  Erestor began pumping forcefully, increasing in speed and power, building that long climb upward, until at its peak when he couldn't hold on any longer, Fin arched up under him and cursed in an explosive yell.  White lightning scorched Erestor's loins, surging outwards, bursting.

"I love you, Fin. I love you," Erestor cried.  For a long moment, he was stuck in time, then slowly things began moving forward. He rocked slower, slower, forcing the last pulse out as he tried to catch a breath that raced ahead of him.  He could feel his lover shaking and gasping under him as he sought Fin's lips with his own.
 
The room was darkening as the fire burnt itself out.  Erestor raised himself on an elbow and looked at his lover, found that Fin was examining him as well. Those wide blue eyes, pupils luminous like a pool at midnight, were staring into his, past the surface, into his soul. “I love you, too,” Glorfindel said softly. “That I know, without hesitation. You are the one, Erestor, the only one I will ever want, ever again.”

He seemed to have dropped a shield that he had always carried, so well hidden as to be well-nigh invisible, but Erestor had sensed it, nevertheless. Now, it was as if they had both been broken open so that each finally could know the other.

Taking Erestor’s chin in hand, Fin drew their lips together in a soft, trembling kiss. They were both so over-wrought that the effect was as if a star had burst over the bed. Glorfindel’s breath shuddered inward in a little sob. He wrapped a leg over Erestor’s thighs, pulling him closer, as they tenderly explored each other’s mouths. The aftermath of previous lovemaking seemed mere shadow-play to what Erestor now felt. Fin’s spirit burned bright as a flame, the full light of it directed at him like a beacon. And Erestor opened his heart to welcome its thawing warmth.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Epilogue:

Daylight assaulted his drowsy eyelids.  Groaning, Erestor turned to confront it.  The air was chill and he snuggled down into the nest his warmth had made under the quilts. Gods, his backside was sore - again.  He smiled, remembering the reason why.  Ummm, how many times had it been?  He recalled the full extent of their lovemaking and his smile became wicked.  Fin’s arse probably hurt just as badly, if not worse.

Suddenly, Erestor noticed Glorfindel was not in the bed with him and immediately the doubts resurfaced. Where had he gone?  Erestor sat up. Of a sudden, a cold, wet mass slammed into his chest, spraying the surroundings.  “Bloody Mandos!” he cried, his eyes popping open.  Definitely awake now and vexed, he heard laughter.  There was Fin, standing gloriously naked by the shutter which was thrown wide to reveal a long rectangle of fiercely blue sky and a roof obscured by huge, white drifts.

“We’re snowed in, ‘Restor!” Fin crowed. “Completely. No one’s going anywhere today.”  He came flying back, leapt on Erestor like a mischievous youngster, and gave him an enthusiastic kiss. “Only one thing to do.  I think we should spend the morning in bed, eating breakfast, and tending to sore backsides." He pulled Erestor over and gave him a resounding whack on the arse.

"Ow!" Erestor cried.

"Then maybe we can go out and play in the snow,” Fin continued.

Erestor grabbed up the slushy remains of the snowball and plastered it against Fin’s rear end.

"Ussssshhhh," Glorfindel’s breath hissed inward.

“How’s that for a start?” Erestor said and together they laughed. A sound of pure joy.   

The End

********************
híren - my lord, or sir
melethron - lover
meleth - love